We all know Memorial Day brings students a day off from school, and for some adults a day off from work. It follows a popular weekend for camping, summer kick-off BBQs, and relaxing. But how can we help our children understand what the day really is about?
As Christians we can also consider the believers who have gone before us on this journey of faith in Jesus:
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us," Hebrews 12:1
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us," Hebrews 12:1
And ultimately remembering Jesus as he died for our sins to give us life forever:
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life." John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life." John 3:16
Below is an article from ChildrensMinistry.com. Read to glean an idea or two. Leave a comment on this blog to share with others how you will or how you observe the true purpose of Memorial Day. Enjoy!
~Leena
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Understanding the Importance of Memorial Day
Don’t let Memorial Day pass by without helping your kids understand the importance of honoring others. Great ways to observe this important day include:
• Visiting and tending the graves of loved ones.
• Visiting a museum or memorial dedicated to national heroes.
• Wearing a red poppy to honor those who died serving the country (for more information, go to http://www.usmemorialday.org/.
• Sharing stories about loved ones.
• Observing the National Moment of Remembrance (a moment of silence observed at 3 p.m. to honor our fallen heroes), a resolution passed in December 2000.
• Discussing what it means to be a hero.
Tracing Your Family Tree
Over Memorial Day weekend, trace your family’s roots by creating a family tree keepsake with your children. This is a wonderful way to help kids understand about the Memorial Day holiday, learn about their roots, and remember loved ones who’ve passed away.
Over Memorial Day weekend, trace your family’s roots by creating a family tree keepsake with your children. This is a wonderful way to help kids understand about the Memorial Day holiday, learn about their roots, and remember loved ones who’ve passed away.
Cut out a brown construction paper tree trunk and three large green construction paper circles. Glue the trunk to a large sheet of paper. Then overlap the three large circles to make the leaves of the tree (see illustration). Cut out a red construction paper apple for each ancestor you add to the family tree.
Place an apple in the center of the tree with your first child’s name and birthday written on the apple. Directly below the first child’s apple, place any siblings’ apples with the same information. Branch out from the children with parents and grandparents. You can make the tree simple by adding only immediate relatives, such as parents and grandparents.
If you’d like to make the tree more detailed or continue the project, your family can research to find distant relatives, along with their country of origin or occupation. If you’d like more information on how to search your family’s ancestry, check out one of these Web sites: http://www.familytreemaker.com/; http://www.ancestry.com/; or http://www.genhomepage.com/.
