(V)irtual (B)ible (S)tudy

Week 1: Great and Small

Welcome to our socially distant summer! Although we cannot join in person for now, we can still learn and grow together this summer. Use this guide to explore this week’s theme and scriptures. You may move through it at whatever pace is best, but we recommend you spread it over several days.

Deep down here inside my pocket

There’s a little piece of paper

Take it out and read it

When I’m feelin’ out of shape or

To keep my fears at bay It says: “You are great!”

Deep down in my other pocket

There’s another piece of paper

Take it out and read it

When I’m gettin’ into shape or

When I’m walkin’ tall

It says: “You are small!”

CHORUS:

Cause you are great and small

You are tiny and tall

Remember through it all

You are great and small!

Heard it said that we are made

In the image of the Maker

So I wrote that down

On a little piece of paper

Read it every day

Remember you are great

Then again, I know we built a

Lot of tall, tall steeples,

(But the) Whole wide world is

More than just us people

So through it all

Remember we are small

CHORUS

Dust to dust, we shall return

Whole wide world was made

For us to learn

CHORUS x3

Supplies: Two pieces of blank paper, something to write with

Remember the Jewish proverb about the two scraps of paper that we learned about from the video? Well now you get to pray by doing something sort of like that!

On one piece of paper, write as large as you can “I AM GREAT!” You can also doodle or decorate around your words as you like. While writing and decorating, think about being great and important to God. Listen for what God might say to you (even if you don’t hear words out loud).

On the other piece of paper, write as large as you can “I AM SMALL!” You can also doodle or decorate around your words as you like. While writing and decorating, think about being a small part of the great big world. Listen for what God might say to you (even if you don’t hear words out loud).

Amen.

Now, take these two pieces of paper and tape them up somewhere you can see them every day, maybe on either side of your door or a mirror you use to get ready. Every time you see them, remember the importance of balance between being GREAT and SMALL.

Supplies: Printed labyrinth, your favorite coloring supplies

You may have seen a finger labyrinth before. We have them in our worship cart at FBCX. Today you will be coloring a special labyrinth to help you focus on Great and Small. Here how it works:

• Print the labyrinth below.
• Color it in. You can color as much or as little detail as you’d like. This is YOUR labyrinth!

Now you are ready to use it to help you think about being both great and small!

• Print the labyrinth on the next page.
• Trace your finger slowly and thoughtfully from the outside to the inside of the labyrinth. This symbolizes going deeper into your own mind and heart. While you trace to the inside, repeat the phrase “I am GREAT” either out loud or in your head. Remember that God created you, loves you, and thinks you are important.
• Now trace your finger slowly and thoughtfully back to the outside. This symbolizes going back out into the great big world. While you trace to the inside, repeat the phrase “I am SMALL” either out loud or in your head. Remember that you are a part of this great big world, and you have a place here!

Supplies: Just yourself!

Today you are going to have the opportunity to move around and use different positions to help understand being Great and Small. Remember, this activity is all about being creative! Use these instructions to get started, but feel free to experiment and find new ways it works for you!

First make your body GREAT!

Make yourself as big as you can! Stretch your arms up high, stand on your tippy toes, and open your mouth as wide as possible! After that you can also try some of these yoga poses:

• Whale pose– Lie on your tummy, bend your knees, lift your chest, reach your arms back towards your toes, and hold onto your feet.
• Extended mountain pose– Stand tall with legs hip-width apart, feet facing forward, and straighten your arms alongside your body. Now stretch your hands and arms up above your head.
• Half shoulder stand (giraffe)– Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, arms resting alongside your body, and chin tucked in. On an exhale, push your palms down and lift your legs straight up, making an L shape with your body. Stay in this position or squeeze your belly and raise your hips. Then, bend your elbows and place your palms on your lower back for a half shoulder stand.

As you make each pose, breath in and out deeply and quietly. Think about how it feels different to be great.

Now make your body SMALL.

Make yourself as little as you can! Curl up in a tight ball and scrunch your face up. After that you can also try some of these yoga poses:

• Child’s pose– Sit on your heels, slowly bring your forehead down to rest in front of your knees, rest your arms down alongside your body, and take a few deep breaths.
• Cobra pose– Lie on your tummy, place palms flat next to your shoulders, press into hands, lift head and shoulders off ground, and hiss like a snake.
• Happy baby pose– Lie on your back with your chin tucked in, hug your knees into your chest, then grab the outer part of your feet with both of your hands, and rock like a happy baby.

As you make each pose, breath in and out deeply and quietly. Think about how it feels different to be small.

For pictures of these and more yoga poses, visit https://www.kidsyogastories.com/kids-yoga-poses/.

Let’s change back to GREAT!

Find the highest place you can SAFELY get at home. While up high, look around and count how many things are down below you. Do this inside in different rooms, and even out in your yard! What does it feel like to be great like this?

And back to SMALL.

Find the lowest place you can SAFELY get at home. While down low, look around and count how many things are up above you. Do this inside in 8 different rooms, and even out in your yard! What does it feel like to be small like this?

Always remember that you are both GREAT and SMALL! Both of these are important and good.

Challenges of the Week

Before our Zoom call on Thursday at 10:00 am, we challenge you to:

• Learn this week’s song: Great and Small.
• Memorize this week’s scripture:
  • From dust you have come, and to dust you shall return. Genesis 3:19b (The Voice)
  • Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor. Psalm 8:5 (NRSV)