It's so good to be back at Merciful Love again! I missed the kids, I missed the moms, I missed the fun! Yesterday we launched a new unit on the Beatitudes. For #1, Blessed are the poor in spirit, we used the story of the humbling of Nebuchadnezzar from Daniel 4. Here's how it went:
In the time of the Zhou Dynasty (hey, we're Chinese!), because the Jews had not obeyed or honored God, they were punished by God and carried off to exile in Babylon (boy with sword drags entire group, encircled by string, around room). Among them (single out one boy) was a young boy named Daniel. Daniel loved God, but because the whole country was being punished, even good people had to suffer.
At that time, the king of Babylon was called Nebuchadnezzar (boy with crown). One night while he was sleeping (N. lies on mat, snores), he had a dream. When he woke up (gets up), he was very uneasy. He really wanted to know the meaning of his dream. He said, "Last night I had a dream. I saw a big tree (child places tree on flannel board). It was beautiful! It had luscious fruit (child places fruit in tree). Animals found rest in its shade (child places animals under tree); birds built nests in its branches (child places nest & birds). But then, suddenly an angel (girl with halo) appeared and said, 'Cut down the tree, and leave it a stump ("angel" exchanges tree for stump), and wait for seven times to pass over it, (children place numbers 1-7 across flannel board) until it understands that all it has is from God.'"
N. asked, "Who can explain this to me?" (question for all: who do you suppose could explain it?) It was that young man who knew God: Daniel. (D. walks up to N.) Very nervously, Daniel said to the king, "Oh King, I hate to tell you this, but God says, that tree is you. Your power and position are going to be cut off, in order to teach you to acknowledge God and not be so proud. Oh King, I urge you, repent quickly, and perhaps God will not have to punish you like this."
(q: How do you suppose N. responded?) "Oh. Thanks, Daniel." (D. sits back down) A year later, nothing has happened, and N. has forgotten all about his dream. (q: do you think God has forgotten?) No! One day, N. was walking around on the roof of the palace, surveying his kingdom. (N. walks back and forth, making boastful gestures as appropriate). He was saying to himself, "I am really great! I have made Babylon a great kingdom. Nobody anywhere has power like mine!" Suddenly the angel from his dream appeared (girl with halo), and said: "N! Starting today, you have no power at all—you have nothing at all—until you come to understand your true position before God!"
Immediately, N. had something like a stroke and lost his mind. He was driven out of the palace and had to live out in the field, eating grass like an ox (boy with sword takes off N's crown & pushes him away. N. eats shredded seaweed snack). No one took care of him. (q: What happens when no one cares for him? When no one cuts his hair?) His hair grew very long, like eagle feathers. (place mop top on N's head). (q: what else would grow long?) His fingernails! (attach "long fingernails"). He was like this for seven years. (children remove numbers from board one at a time) Then his mind was restored. He cut his hair (take off mop), cut his nails (remove), and was restored to his position as king (N. recrowned, sits on chair, all rise & applaud). But from that day forward, he never forgot whose power was really the greatest! (q: and whose power is that?)
Well! Now you know what our Sunday skits look like! Some simplification, some embroidery. But I trust true to the spirit of the Word.
Our game for this was "How long will the tree stand?" A small potted tree was placed on a piece of cardboard resting on a dozen toy blocks. Each child in turn had to remove one block by reaching in with a pair of tongs. (Good pre-scissor skill!) The rules were supposed to be, whoever made it fall was out for the next round. But one boy showed up late, took his place at the table and immediately made the tree fall! I could hardly make him sit out right away. So, quick change, we had no "losers." We just played it a couple times more for the fun of it, and that was fine.
For a craft, we said, Nebuchadnezzar's fingernails growing long was not good, but sometimes ladies like to let their fingernails grow kind of long, and then they paint them. So each child had to paint their mom's fingernails! (The kids who were really fast at this ended up doing their toenails, too.) Glad I remembered to bring nail polish remover as well, ha.
For Bible study, we just discussed the meaning of being poor in spirit, and encouraged everyone to give thanks to God for blessings that we do not deserve (such as our apartment not flooding because we happened to be home when rainwater started pouring into our laundry room last week—while many people no more wicked than we have been suffering much flood damage in the US this summer).
So: do we have fun, or what?
(Nebuchadnezzar at his lowest point)
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