Prayer
40 Day Prayer
Designed for Ages 6+
Materials:
Varied
Time Investment:
You will carve out around 10 minutes per day to discuss.
How To:
Notes
Variations:
*Taken from Faithful Families: Creating Sacred Moments at Home by Traci Smith
Materials:
Varied
Time Investment:
You will carve out around 10 minutes per day to discuss.
How To:
- At the beginning of Lent, make a list of 40 words that your family will use to anchor your prayer practice. Use the 40 words listed in the “notes” section, or think of your own.
- At the start of each day (except Sundays during Lent), take a look at the day’s word. Make sure everyone knows what the word is and commits to trying to think about the word throughout the day.
- At the end of the day, gather for prayer time as a family. Review the word and discuss it in one of the following ways:
- Draw a picture that represents the word
- Share a photo you took of something that represents the word
- Share what the word means to you, or how it affected you throughout the day
- Share how the word might be connected to the Lenten journey.
- Close by thanking God for the word and looking forward to the next day’s challenge
Notes
- If you don’t want to come up with your own words, here are 40 you can use
- Hope
- Strength
- Light
- Fear
- Love
- Freedom
- Peace
- Quiet
- Dark
- Cold
- Water
- Peace
- Witness
- Noise
- Desert
- Kindness
- Friends
- Strangers
- Heaven
- Wait
- Despair
- Weakness
- Fire
- Walk
- Crawl
- Run
- Purple
- Cross
- Grace
- Gift
- Reflection
- Remember
- Eat
- Shadow
- Want
- Mercy
- Justice
- Lonely
- Silence
- Resurrection
- The Spirit works in mysterious ways through prayer. It's fine if the photos, drawings, and stories that come out as a result of the prayer conversation don't feel "spiritual" or don't appear to have anything to do with Lent. Sometimes prayers that seem to lack significance at the time come to have meaning days, weeks, or even years later.
- If you miss a day, just pick up again where you left off.
Variations:
- Instead pf gathering as a family to discuss each word, gather once each week or once at the end of Lent to discuss how this went. This option might be particularly appealing for teens or older children who are interested in journaling and might not wish to share each day's photo, drawing, or thoughts.
- As with the other two Lenten practices, these work well in larger groups. See if other families will join you for this Lenten practice.
- Decide on the words together as a family before beginning.
*Taken from Faithful Families: Creating Sacred Moments at Home by Traci Smith
Pretzel Prayer
Pretzels have been associated with Lent and Easter for centuries. There’s a legend that pretzels were used by an Italian monk to encourage young people to pray. According to the legend, the traditional shape of the pretzel represents arm folded across the body, with hands touching the shoulders - a prayer posture of the time. Pretzels were also popular during Lent because of their sparse ingredient list. People ate simplicity during Lent, or cut out meat and animal products, and pretzels were made from basic ingredients such as flour, salt, and water.
Try one of these ideas from incorporating pretzels into your Lenten traditions at home.
*Taken from Faithful Families: For Lent, Easter, and Resurrection by Traci Smith
Try one of these ideas from incorporating pretzels into your Lenten traditions at home.
- If you’re a baker (or want to be!), try making pretzels. As you fold them into the traditional shape, cross your arms and put your hands on your opposite shoulders to try out the pretzel prayer posture.
- Have a special pretzel snack time. Before you start, say a simple prayer: “God, we thank you for this snack and for the way the shape helps us remember to pray.”
- Research the history of the pretzel in the church and around the world.
- Put one small pretzel on each plate every day from Ash Wednesday through Easter as a special cue to pray.
*Taken from Faithful Families: For Lent, Easter, and Resurrection by Traci Smith
Simplicity
Drink More Water
Instead of: Giving up sugary drinks
Try: Drinking water
Clean water is truly a miracle and a luxury much of the world does not enjoy. We who can access clean water from our taps may be tempted to take it for granted. It’s not that we mean to be ungrateful, but clean water is suh a part of our daily lives that we tend to pass by the miracle. In our family, we’re used to “special drinks” with dinner (usually sparkling water mixed with juice). Sometimes we neglect the opportunity to drink cool, clean water and enjoy it. Drinking water with meals for a season brings this focus to mind. As you drink water, deliberately thank God for it.
Lenten challenge for drinking water: How many days can you drink water with your meals instead of something different?
*Taken from Faithful Families: For Lent, Easter, and Resurrection by Traci Smith
Try: Drinking water
Clean water is truly a miracle and a luxury much of the world does not enjoy. We who can access clean water from our taps may be tempted to take it for granted. It’s not that we mean to be ungrateful, but clean water is suh a part of our daily lives that we tend to pass by the miracle. In our family, we’re used to “special drinks” with dinner (usually sparkling water mixed with juice). Sometimes we neglect the opportunity to drink cool, clean water and enjoy it. Drinking water with meals for a season brings this focus to mind. As you drink water, deliberately thank God for it.
Lenten challenge for drinking water: How many days can you drink water with your meals instead of something different?
*Taken from Faithful Families: For Lent, Easter, and Resurrection by Traci Smith
Making Something You Normally Would Buy
Instead of: Giving up shopping or spending
Try: Making something you would normally buy
Our culture is definitely a “buy it, use it, throw it away” type of culture. The ability to buy what we need, on demand, without much thought has pros and cons. One con is the amount of waste created when we buy something we don’t really need, or the way buying something ready-made can stifle creativity. Instead of buying a new basket, is there a box lying around you might beautify instead? Instead of buying the latest toy, can you use your imagination and make one?
Lenten challenge for making something you’ll normally buy: Can you make five things you’d normally buy this Lent?
*Taken from Faithful Families: For Lent, Easter, and Resurrection by Traci Smith
Try: Making something you would normally buy
Our culture is definitely a “buy it, use it, throw it away” type of culture. The ability to buy what we need, on demand, without much thought has pros and cons. One con is the amount of waste created when we buy something we don’t really need, or the way buying something ready-made can stifle creativity. Instead of buying a new basket, is there a box lying around you might beautify instead? Instead of buying the latest toy, can you use your imagination and make one?
Lenten challenge for making something you’ll normally buy: Can you make five things you’d normally buy this Lent?
*Taken from Faithful Families: For Lent, Easter, and Resurrection by Traci Smith
Act
Gifting a Box of Favorite Things
Instead of placing random items in the box, make a deliberate effort to fill the box with each person’s favorite things. Not just any breakfast cereal, but the beloved extra amazing breakfast cereal you only get on special occasions. Not the most inexpensive shampoo you find on discount, but your beloved luxury shampoo you would give to your best friend as a treat. Giving by sharing the absolute best of what we have to offer does a few things. First, it reminds us that those who are in need of charity deserve more than just the leftovers or the castoffs. Second, it reminds us to treat others with high honor, just as we want to be treated. Finally, it creates a feeling of true joy and excitement around giving. Everyone in your family will love to share with one another what they’ve chosen to give, and why.
When it comes to selecting where to give your box of favorite things, consider giving to a pantry or shelter that offers clients the opportunity to choose which items they receive. In that way, your favorite things might be selected by someone who is looking for just that item. Give your best, as often as you can, and make it a habit.
*Taken from Faithful Families: For Lent, Easter, and Resurrection by Traci Smith
When it comes to selecting where to give your box of favorite things, consider giving to a pantry or shelter that offers clients the opportunity to choose which items they receive. In that way, your favorite things might be selected by someone who is looking for just that item. Give your best, as often as you can, and make it a habit.
*Taken from Faithful Families: For Lent, Easter, and Resurrection by Traci Smith
Giving a Gift to Yourself
I recently heard a story about an adult who was struggling with feelings of worthlessness. He had been taught the acronym JOY, which stands for "Jesus-Others-You." He said it was explained to him that he should always put himself last; because of this, he didn't acquire the skills of checking in with his own needs as an adult. There is plenty of biblical support for caring for others, and an attitude of humility is a practice in this chapter on giving to yourself. When our faith teaches us to ignore our own needs regularly, nobody served. Like the often-quoted reminder to put your own oxygen masks first before assisting others, it's good to make self-care an important part of your spiritual routine. Parents and caregivers can model this for children and one another by speaking openly about the steps they take. "I'm taking some time to chat with someone about my problems because I know I need to take care of my health," or "I've asked my friends to pray for me, because I could use some spiritual support."
The idea of giving a non-tangible gift to yourself might be a little abstract for very young children, but those who are older (teen and adults in your family) can go around the circle and talk about what gift you want to give to yourself in the upcoming week. It could be a walk, a nap, a conversation with a friend, or something different. Talk with your family members about how you can support one another as you give yourself a gift.
*Taken from Faithful Families: For Lent, Easter, and Resurrection by Traci Smith
The idea of giving a non-tangible gift to yourself might be a little abstract for very young children, but those who are older (teen and adults in your family) can go around the circle and talk about what gift you want to give to yourself in the upcoming week. It could be a walk, a nap, a conversation with a friend, or something different. Talk with your family members about how you can support one another as you give yourself a gift.
*Taken from Faithful Families: For Lent, Easter, and Resurrection by Traci Smith
Source
Materials are taken from excerpts of :
- Faithful Families for Lent, Easter, and Resurrection by Traci Smith (Chalice Press; 2021, All Reserved Rights)
- Faithful Families Creating Sacred Moments at Home by Traci Smith (Chalice Press; 2017, All Reserved Rights)