Can you find one thing inside or outside your home that is small but precious and beautiful to you? It may be a pebble, a flower, a favourite toy or something that you have made yourself. We are all precious in God’s Eyes, however small we may be.

This week many of us will have seen and felt the gentle rainfall of Spring after many days of beautiful dry sunny weather.

Some families in far away places right now, don’t have the joy of the rain. Rainfall is precious to them. Their world is dry, meaning that they may face many different challenges to us.

In Peru, Gloria, age 9 said ” If I could change the world, I would collect water and grow plants, they help give us life, they protect us so that we can breathe fresh air

Thank you God that we can breathe fresh air and enjoy both the sunshine AND the rain.

Here are two activities which you may like to do together in your family, you could each even spend some quiet time on your own and then later share your thoughts about the small things.

1. Collect some rainwater and make a little rain pond, (you can use tap water if you don’t have any rain)

Use any small or large container.

Fill your little pond with anything you find, stones, shells, grass, petals, anything at all… Say thank you to God for the joy of His life giving water.

Share a piece of bread and take a drink of water with your family.

One cup, one bread, one family.

2. Make a Nature Box thanking God for all his Creation.

Any carton will do. You can use an egg box if you have one.

Collect small things from around your home or on your daily walk.

Talk about the things you have put in your box and say “We thank you God”

“I can pray a rainbow…” Genesis 9 v 13

God placed a rainbow in the sky as a symbol of his promise never again to send a flood like the one Noah survived in the ark. Today, the rainbow is a symbol of hope for us all.

Here are two rainbow inspired activities for you and your family to explore together.

A RAINBOW PRAYER HUNT

Go on a search round your house and try to find something of each of the colours below.
Here is a prayer you can say for each colour as you find them.

RAINBOW LEAF PRINTS

Use washable coloured markers to colour a rainbow pattern on the back of a big leaf. Keep changing colours. Now you are ready to print. Grab some paper and a damp paper towel. Wipe across your paper with the paper towel so that it is just damp, not soggy. Turn the coloured part of the leaf on to the paper and press down gently. Press all over and then carefully remove the leaf. Try a fresh leaf and a different rainbow pattern – spirals, stripes, classic rainbow arches. They all turn out differently but they are all bright and beautiful.

CLICK HERE to download January’s “Together at Home” activities.