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Family Blueprint

    by Julianne Bell

Blueprint #10: The Covenant with Abraham
Date Posted: November 21, 2006

(Tapeworms and Noodle Kugel teach us along with Abraham to have faith in God.)

The Lord gave us the blueprint of His Word to architect our family on Jesus Christ.

Going through the Bible with your family…

Weekly Scripture:
Genesis 15-17

Story:
“The Covenant with Abraham”

Application:
Faith is trusting God to accomplish His will even when it does not seem to happen the way we expect.

Summary:
Years passed and Abram and Sarai still had no children. Abram spoke with God about it and God promised him lots of descendants. Abram believed God. Sarai decided she was too old to have children and told Abram he should have a baby with her handmaiden, Hagar. Abram did this and Ishmael was born. This ended up causing much trouble (to this very day). God made a covenant with Abram and changed his name to Abraham and also changed Sarai’s name to Sarah. Abraham was 99 ears old now and God still said He was going to give him and Sarah a son.

Focus:
Just like Abraham, we must have faith to believe God’s Word. It will come to pass.

Finding Christ:
God makes a covenant with Abraham. Abraham puts faith in God based on His spoken Word and God reckons Abraham’s faith as righteousness. God is still the object of our faith. The Word of God (Jesus) is the base of our faith. Righteousness is the result.

Live the Lesson:
Time for a gross object lesson. This week, take a box that has mailing postage still on it. Make up a new label declaring it is from some laboratory. Put a “warning” label on it regarding live specimens inside. Do not open this in front of the children, but allow the sealed package to sit all day in the sight. If asked what is in the box, tell them they will find out at Family Time.

Before family time secretly cook up some Fettuccine pasta for Noodle Kugel for dessert. Keep a few noodles aside for the object lesson. Keep those few noodles moistened so they don’t dry out and to keep them a bit slimy. Prepare the Noodle Kugel. www.familyblueprint.org/noodle_kugel_recipe.htm

At family time teach your children about tape worms. Tell them how tapeworms are flat, and can get very long. Show them this picture: www.familyblueprint.org/tapeworm_pictures.htm

Then tell them how they are considered a parasite, they can grow up to 30 feet long, and live for 30 years and can thrive in the human intestinal system. Explain to them how the eggs from the tapeworm can be passed in many ways, such as through stools, through sewage, through the ground, etc and another important reason why they should wash their hands before eating a meal or when coming in from playing outside. Share with them old wives tales about fasting for a day and then putting buttermilk or heavy cream under your nose and the tapeworm would crawl out.

Now dad put on your plastic gloves as if you are going to do something disgusting. Have the children put on blindfolds. Give them a lecture about trusting you and obeying you even if they don’t think it seems like a good idea. After they are blindfolded ask them to put out their hands as you cut open the box from the laboratory so they can hear it. Unscrew a jar and then place a fettuccine noodle in each of their hands. Ask them to trust you and eat what is in their hands. You will probably get quite a reaction.

Whether or not they obey and eat the noodle, after a couple of minutes allow them to take off the blindfolds and discuss that just as children need to have faith that their parents would never do something to harm them, so too they need to have faith that their Heavenly Father loves them and would never harm them. We need to obey even if it does not make sense to us or seems impossible.

Now time to eat tapeworm pudding, oops I mean noodle kugel for dessert!!!

Memory Verse:
“Without faith it is impossible to please Him.” Hebrews 11:6

Prayer:
Dear Lord, please help us to have faith in You. To believe You have a purpose and will accomplish Your will in our lives.

Living the Life:
This week talk to the children about faith. Tell them about times you have personally seen God’s hand move in your life or the lives of others.

"God's Words For US" from Cecelia Lester

Grace

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Biography Information:
Julianne Bell is blessed with a husband who challenges her to fulfill her calling. Their quiver is overflowing with children ages 3-young adult, one of which has autism.

Family Blueprint has come to fruition as a complimentary service for those seeking creative ways to 'teach them (the words of the Lord) diligently to your children...' Deuteronomy 6:7

Julianne Bell is also a consultant for Once Upon A Family at www.familyblueprint.org/once_upon_a_family.htm This allows her to work from home while homeschooling her children and keeping her ministry website resources free.
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