The Blessing Hunt
Have you taken your kids on a Blessing Hunt?
In our busy, let’s face it… chaotic lives, we too often forget to redeem the moments and help our children to focus on what is good. We speed through life too quickly, grabbing our kids by the hand as they fly along after us! We can’t slow down the clock, but we can repurpose time so that it becomes a tool. Time presents opportunities for us to turn moments into biblically principled bedrocks, underlying the purposed impressions made on their hearts. Let’s not miss this! These are the very moments that help to shape them into the people they will become. The people that God intends for them to be! And it can be accomplished in the most positively joyful arenas!
I’m talking about our opportunitites to help your children truly focus on what is good. To know it. To understand it. To allow it to become experiential. Right in the middle of daily chaos! As a result, you will help them grow to become those whose character causes them to rise above the typical worldly attitudes and behaviors, giving them a mind conducive to honoring God and respecting others. Of course… we may ask, “can this do all that?” When combined with biblical parenting, yes! It really can do all that.
The next time you are out and surrounded with lots of kids, maybe at the park, or the fast food playground, or even on the church patio… Tell your kids that you want them to go on a Blessing Hunt. Here’s how it works…
To begin, talk often to your kids about these two verses below, and how God requires that we in humility love him, and we in humility love others.
Matthew 22:37-39
And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Philippians 2:3-5
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
Now, when you are in an environment with lot’s of kids, here’s how this works:
The Blessing Hunt:
1. Parent establishes the number of blessings to be found in the hunt. For example, if there are 3 kids hunting, maybe 9-10 blessings must be found. Don’t be strict about who finds a certain number, but rejoice with one another as the blessings are found, even if one finds all 10. Being timid or younger shouldn’t become a discouragment, but when they help each other, everyone can participate in the joy of kindness!
2. Each child can continue in play, but should keep their eyes open. When they see someone, doing something that shows kindness towards another, they are to encourage that one by saying “Good job on being kind!” and return to you, the parent to report what they saw.
3. Dad or Mom take note of it and keep track of the number.
Let’s say you’ve set the number at 10… let them know that when they together have found and encouraged 10 acts of kindness, your family will celebrate those kind acts with an ice cream cone! This is always a great motivator. Or pick a reward that maybe better suits your family.
4. When you are enjoying your rewards, discuss the acts of kindness that were found, and encourage your little ones by asking how they might act the same way towards others. See who is able to recite the Family Blessing Hunt memory verse (listed below).
Let’s look at the benefits of the Blessing Hunt!
As your children play this game, it will:
- Train your family to think and focus on what is good.
- It will help them grow more comfortable as they verbalize encouragement to others.
- It creates in them a desire to see and act in kindness
- With your family, it will bring to mind that God is to be praised because he is good.
- Your family will experience the peace of God.
Family Blessing Hunt Memory Verse: Philippians 4:8-9
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Sharon Cannavo
