Attention Sponges--Soak Up the Goodness!

Attention Sponges--Soak Up the Goodness!

The Mind Soaks Up information like a sponge.

Sponge-Minds Soak Up

(Have the young people to put on their sponge hats)

Soak up dirty water and the sponge will become nasty.

Soak up clean water and the sponge will be able to clean.

ANTS on the Sponge

ANTs

Active

Nasty

Thoughts

ANT are Active Nasty (Negative) Thoughts that mess with our heads.

Question: Have you ever watched a scary movie and later had a nightmare? What happened? Your mind soaked up some nasty stuff and the ANTs went crazy.

Question: Have you gotten into an argument or someone said something to you, or something happened that you didn’t like, and your entire day or week was ruined? What happened? Your mind soaked up anger and bitterness, and the ANTs went crazy?

Question: Don’t you want to get rid of those ANTs?

The good person brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart,

and the evil person brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart.

For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

Luke 6:45

What is Your Mind Soaking Up?

Example of Water soaking in cucumber, lemon, and mint.

Soaking in the Presence allows me the blessing of acquiring the flavours of the Spirit’s Essence in my life.

The water gets a cucumber flavour, or a lemon flavour, or a minty flavour, from time spent soaking in the goodness.

You and I can get the Goodness of God by spending time soaking in.

“Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.” Psalm 34:8 NIV

“seek refuge” / “take refuge”

meaning--”set aside”

Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right.

Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others.

Think about things that are excellent and all you can praise God for and be glad about.

9 Keep putting into practice all you learned from me and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you. Phil. 4:8-9 TLB

Soak Up the Goodness of God

The Love of God

The Joy of the Lord

The Peace and Comfort of God

Goodness—I like what one commentary said about Psalm 23:6, “Mercy (steadfast love) together with goodness suggests the steady kindness and support that one can count on in the family or between firm friends. With God these qualities are not merely solid and dependable, but vigorous—for to follow does not mean here to bring up the rear but to pursue...”

Kidner, D. (1973). Psalms 1–72: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 15, p. 130). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Soak In and Squeeze It Out

Say it Loud!

Repetition

Write it down / Personalise the Word

Memorize it

Apply it / Make an Association / Act on it

When the Student is Ready, The Teacher Will Come

We are All Sponges—We All Need Love to Give Love

The Teacher Needs the Student’s Love for What She Has to Give

Love Has Many Faces—Stern and Soft / Serious and Silly / Silent and Talking / Lillian Woolridge with “Betsy” in her hand and Aunt Lilly teaching us how to make chocolate cake

Jesus taking up a child in his arms

Jesus driving out the money-changers with a whip in his hands

Jesus on the cross speaking to his mother and his beloved disciple

The Cycle of Life: “Once a Man, Twice a Child”—The Mother offering her breast milk to her baby and The Caregiver Helping their Elderly Family Member.

Circle Time—All for One

One child sit in the middle of the circle and holds the stuffed animal. The other children take turns speaking words of love.