Since it is almost the “month of love”, why not meditate each day on what God has to say about this incredible topic?
Our “SIP IT! 30 Days of Love to Sip On” printable is meant to be used daily for the next month. Simply print, hang it somewhere you will see daily, and sip on a verse having to do with love, slowly, throughout each day.
We will be posting our “SIP IT! 30 Days…to Sip On” topical scripture printables regularly, so be sure to check in often and grab yours under our “Tangible Takeout”.
Check out the “Weekly Memory Munchie” with free printable scripture note cards below to cut out and memorize. Click the download button, print, and post on your mirror, fridge, around your house, or add to lunch boxes. Keep an eye out for next week’s “Weekly Memory Munchie” that we will be posting each Sunday .
Welcome to this week’s “Story Snack.” Our “Story Snacks” will be posted weekly on Saturdays, in time to read together as a family each Sunday. Be sure to subscribe below with your email so you don’t miss out on our other many offerings throughout the week. Our free “Weekly Memory Munchie” printables, coincide with the “Story Snack” and will be posted every Sunday.
“I’m open, Lucas, pass the ball!” Justice cried out as they both ran toward their opponent’s goal. Lucas and Justice had played soccer together since the 5th grade. Although he was his best friend, Lucas had always been a ball hog and a hot head. Lucas ran the ball to the weakly guarded net and scored easily. He threw his arms into the air and ran around shouting, “I am the best player on this team! Why should I pass the ball?”
Their coach and parents stood on the sidelines shaking their heads in near unison. Only Lucas’ dad cheered him on, “you’re the best, Lucas!” he shouted as his wife turned to him with her jaw slowly dropping in disbelief. The father’s encouragement of such a lack of sportsmanship surprised her. Lucas’ eyes met his father’s, and Lucas beamed with satisfaction and validation.
The team’s coach blew his whistle and called the team in for a huddle. “Great job making that goal, Lucas, but let’s not forget that we’re a team. Teams work together for a common goal. That means passing the ball and running the plays we’ve worked so hard to learn together,” the coach said. There was genuine concern in his eyes—concern for Lucas’s character and concern for the feelings of the left out team members. He watched as Lucas’s smile shrunk and melted into an angry scowl. His face turned bright red with embarrassment. “I told you to pass,” Justice chimed in. With that, Lucas focused his anger in his best friend’s direction and stormed off from the huddle before the team could throw their hands in the middle and shout, “Go Tigers!”
The next weekend, the team gathered at their school’s soccer field for the first game of the district soccer tournament. The coach spotted Lucas and reminded him of what it means to be a team player. Lucas agreed to stick to the plays they practiced all week, but when the two teams took to the field, it was a different story. Right off the drop, Lucas snatched the ball and began running it to the goal. He ignored the first play and went down hard just before attempting to make the first goal of the game. He picked himself up with the echoes of laughter coming from the opposing team. “That’s what happens when you’re a team of one,” they said through their chuckles. Justice ran to his friend and gave him a hand up. “Pass the ball,” Justice reminded him. Lucas pushed his friend aside and ran back into the action on the field.
Lucas tried again to run the ball in the second half of the game, ignoring his coach and teammates’ cries. The game ended 0 – 3 and the Tigers were out of regionals before it really began. In the locker room, Lucas stood on a bench and asked for the attention of his fellow players. They were filled with disappointment; it was difficult to raise their heavy heads to meet Lucas’ eyes. “I blew it,” Lucas said with a shaky voice, “I blew the entire game and took us out of District. I don’t know how to say how sorry and embarrassed I am.”
“You can say you’re sorry by showing up to practice and running the plays. Actions speak louder than words, Lucas. You need to trust the abilities of the team and pass the ball,” Justice said. “We worked really hard to get here and your haughty attitude and pride cost us a chance at another trophy.”
“You’re right, Justice. And not only that, but I was not a good friend to you. I won’t let my pride get in the way of our team or our friendship again.”
Note to Nibble: Put away pride and be a good team player—both on and off the field.
Weekly Bible Verse: Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. -Proverbs 16:18 NIV
Got a little cabin fever? Gather with your family and friends for some winter fun this weekend. Simply download, print, and play our “Frosty Family Scattegories”.
For those of you who haven’t played Scattergories, below are the rules we play by:
Cut the cards with the list of categories and pass out the same card number each round to every player (Example-Each person playing round one, would get “card 1”). Turn these face down until the timer begins.
Next, pass out the blank lists to each player.
Have one person choose a letter of the alphabet.
Set the timer for 3-4 minutes per round.
Each player must list a word for each category using the chosen letter.
When the timer goes off, in a roundtable fashion, each player takes turns saying what they wrote in the same category. Players continue reading aloud down the list until each category has been read. Players with the same answer have to cross out the what they wrote for that category.
Answers having two words that begin with the chosen letter, get two points—if another player has not listed one or both of the words.
Players cannot use the same word more than once in a round.
The player with the most words left after reading off the entire list, wins the game.
So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun. -Ecclesiastes 8:15 NLT
Does it help your kids to focus more easily for a short period of time when they can doodle? If so, grab our free “Doodle and Jot Spot” printable to go along with our weekly “Story Snacks”. Each “Story Snack”, or short Biblically based story that is posted, will include a coinciding memory verse and small thought to meditate on, a “Note to Nibble”. Not only is there a section on the printable to sketch while listening to the story each Sunday, our “Doodle and Jot Spot” is a place to jot down the memory verse and “Note to Nibble” that your family will want to meditate on throughout the week. Our “Doodle and Jot Spot” page can also be used to sketch and take notes during quiet time in the Word. Just click download and print!
Today’s “Bite-Sized Bible Bit” is about finding comfort in our crazy world. We hope you listen and find some encouragement for the week!
Comfort in the Crazy-1 Minute Bible Bit
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. -Exodus 14:21-22 NIV
You’ll find the whole story of Moses parting the Red Sea in Exodus 14.
And remember, God can part the stormy seas in your life too!
Check out the “Weekly Memory Munchie” with free printable scripture note cards below to cut out and memorize. Click the download button, print, and post on your mirror, fridge, around your house, or add to lunch boxes.
Welcome to PhillFamily Ministries! Our family is dedicated to furthering God’s Kingdom by inspiring families. There will be something for everyone on our blog! Each week, we will be posting a “Story Snack” that we wrote together based on a Bible story or Biblical wisdom. These are geared towards children and teens ages 7-15, and will include a “Note to Nibble” for the week, along with a coinciding Bible verse. PhillFamily Ministries will also be posting weekly printable memory verses, “Weekly Memory Munchies”, that go with each story. “1 Minute Bible Bits” will be short, encouraging audio messages based on God’s Word. And lastly, the entire family will find free printables and digital material posted in “Tangible Takeout”.
This week, check out our…
“Aden and Everette: An Adam and Eve Story”.
Aden and Everette, twin brother and sister, move to an unfamiliar town and start the seventh grade at a new school. During their first week, the twins make some new friends, Estell and Seth. Aden decides to invite them over for a sleepover on the weekend.
The four kids play games, watch a recently released action movie, and eat too much popcorn, pizza, and ice cream. Before Aden and Everette’s parents go to bed, they tell the kids they can help themselves to snacks in the cupboard or fridge, but to stay out of the cupcakes they made for the church banquet on Sunday.
Once their parents are gone, Estell and Seth try to tempt the twins to eat some of the cupcakes their mom made. They say there are so many, their parents will never notice. Aden and Everette know it is wrong to disobey their parents, yet they want to impress their new friends—not to mention, the cupcakes do look really tasty. The twins give in to peer pressure and decide to split two cupcakes between the four of them. Our parents will never notice just two missing cupcakes, they think. The kids giggle through their mmms and yums, and can’t stop talking about how gooey and delicious they are.
As they eat the cupcakes in the glow of the open refrigerator, the kitchen light comes on. The kids attempt to hide the evidence, but can’t hide the chocolate on their faces or the chocolate crumbs on their shirts. Aden and Everette’s mom calls Estell and Seth’s parents while their dad drives them home. The twins are sent to bed.
The next morning at breakfast, Mom and Dad sit the two down for a discussion. Their parents say their actions the previous evening remind them of the story of Adam and Eve when they disobeyed God by eating from the tree of knowledge. They explain that God set down rules for Adam and Eve, yet they were influenced to eat from the tree anyway. The twins’ parents further highlight that Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden for their sins. Although the twins won’t be cast out of the house by any means, they need to be disciplined for not obeying their parents.
Mom and Dad ask the twins to come up with a disciplinary action they think is fitting for their sin of disobeying. The twins say they shouldn’t have any sleepovers for a while and should be a better influence for their friends instead of being influenced by bad suggestions. They have the power to influence others with their good choices just as much as others can influence them with bad choices.
Weekly Bible Verse: Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.-Ephesians 6:1 NIV
Note to Nibble: Don’t be influenced by negative peer-pressure. Instead, set a positive example for others, even when tempted.
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