Year C. 2nd Term. Lesson 9. Love Languages - Quality Time

 (I repeat : The basic idea for this series come from Gary Chapman’s books on the 5 love Languages. There is a book for married couples and about children. I have taken his principles and turned them into lessons to teach the children how to express love in 5 main ways. I highly recommend these books. Another excellent book is by Ross Campbell “How to really love your child.” He actually helped Gary write the children’s book on love languages. Anyone working with children needs these tools.)

Scripture: for teacher background:  Genesis 3:8,9 God used to spend time with Adam and Eve.

 Exodus 33:11 Moses spent time with God in the tabernacle

 Luke 18:35-19:5 Jesus spending time with Bartimeaus and Zacheaus.

 Rev 3:20 Jesus stands at our heart doors and knocks. He wants to spend time with us.

Making contact:

Maybe have a broken chair and show how it doesn’t work. We need the balance of all 4 legs. So it is with life – we need balanced love.
If we don’t spend time with people to show them our love then they might feel wobbly and even fall.

 Exploration:

If we look at the life of Jesus, whom did He spend His time with?  He seemed to have a very good balance. He had time with His close friends, time with the crowds, time with those who needed Him and time with God alone up in the hills.

Think about your life. Do you have a balance? Time with friends, time with family, time with those who need you and time with God – alone?

If you overdo one of these you will go crooked in your life.

Draw a big circle and give examples of a good balance and a bad one. Just make up 2 names and how they spent their lives. Fill in the pie graph accordingly.

Practice this before the lesson – work out more or less sections of the circle for sleep, school, homework etc.

This exercise could be very helpful.

Talk about what we could do in these times.

In our family, we realized we didn’t have quality time together, so we decided on things called outings.
This is a one on one time between parent and child. It could be a treat like an ice cream at the shop, or a game together or a walk We talk and catch up. This happens once a week with mom and the next week with dad.

These have been precious times and they are not difficult to organize. Tell the children they could ask their parents on a date like this.
Of course parents also need time together and children should be happy to let them go out regularly and happily stay with a sitter. This builds up the parents and the marriage.

Application

Quality time is one on one time – not a group activity.

Try and organize your life around some quality time with

1. Jesus (reading your Bible and praying.)
2. Family (try and eat together, and not in front of T.V. – that kills family time. Try and organize outings or dates, one on one.)
3. Friends. Friendship doesn’t just happen. It needs to be looked after with visits and fun together.)
4. People who need help            

Challenge to Mission

Who could you spend quality time with? Who needs your help? Is there a child at school who needs help with reading or Math’s and you could help?

Is there an old relative or friend who just wants a visit?

The Sunday school could embark on an “Adopt a granny” program.

Consolidation

The worksheet has place to write some ideas or draw a picture of spending quality time with someone.

There is a clock showing a person praying and spending quality time with Jesus.

Memory Verse

“When you pray, go to your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen.” Matthew 6:6