What a wonderful time of year to participate in activities with our family and friends, since August just happens to be Family Fun Month.
It won't be long before school begins and like most people, we want to cram in as much fun as possible before summer ends or the kids start classes.
This year instead of the "regular" and "unusual" things you do each summer (or any time really), try including some new activities that just may turn into the best family traditions ever!
Sharing Family Funcations
When it comes to fun I think it should be shared and not spared. That especially goes for including neighbors, co-workers, singles, widows, the community and "wall flowers" (okay, everyone) to join in on how we make our own clean family fun.
Of course there are many different views on what people think is fun, and I get that. Here are a few things we have done on "funcations" in our family and community.
Yearly we looked forward to a celebration our neighbors had during the labor day weekend holiday. Besides loads of food, the event included entertaining the neighborhood with a local talent karaoke night. It may have been loud, but a barrel of laughs for all that participated and those of us who listened!
Another fun event was to hold an ice cream gutter party. You never heard of it? Everyone builds their own sundaes and eats them out of a 6 foot long NEW gutter piece that is placed on a long table outdoors. We learned outside is better - this gets quite messy!
The upside to this is that there's only one "dish" to wash. Plus it can be recycled into a rather "fun"ctional herb planter or painted as decorative yard art, which can be another funcation project.
If you had to I guess you could actually go boring traditional and use it as a gutter on the house, but who wants to spoil everything by doing that?
Funcation Time! Ready?
Need a few more fun ideas? I have a month of daily activities that I think you just might favor!
31 Fun-cation Family Activities
1. Build a family fort inside your house.
2. Try camping in your own yard!
3. Take bike rides in a state park.
4. Plan a scavenger hunt on your street.
5. Go on a waterfront picnic.
6. Have an indoor picnic with all the fixings.
7. Bury a family time capsule.
8. Family story reading hour.
9. Have food themed dinner nights.
10. Have international dinners on weekends.
11. Be a tourist in your own town.
12. Take pottery classes for making gifts.
13. Bring neighbor kids on a fishing trip.
14. Hold a night of family entertainment.
15. Make pizza and watch a film outdoors.
16. Film a documentary of the town's history.
17. Film a family recipe cooking program.
18. Design family Christmas cards.
19. Invent a family game.
20. Write and perform a play.
21. Have each member write a short story.
22. Make and fly a kite. (I did!)
23. Create a family summer holiday.
24. Hold a street hymn sing in your yard.
25. Visit local farms in operation.
26. Learn a new language together.
27. Hold a family Olympics contest.
28. Design a family coat of arms.
29. Have a community ice cream gathering.
30. Have a tailgate party in your driveway.
31. Design a bible tract to distribute locally.
Family, Fellowship and Favor
You know, God is all about family, fellowship and favor. The Lord is pleased when we celebrate the good things He brings into our lives by spending time with one another.
It also delights God to distribute blessings and favor on those who obey His Word by the way they live in bringing Him glory. There is no better way to share the gospel message than to daily live in the favor of God that others can witness through you (and your family).
"Let them shout for joy and be glad, Who favor my Righteous cause; and let them say continually, let the Lord be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant(s)." (Psalm 35:27 NKJV)
Share and Not Spare
This summer start the habit of letting your family testimony lead people to Jesus. Remember to share and not spare what God has so freely given you.
Invite those on your street, community or social clubs to family funcation activities. Instead of following the ideals of what family "should look like according to the world's view, demonstrate what real family life looks like when God's favor is on it.
"For whoever (that means anyone) finds Me (accepts Christ as Savior) finds life (eternal life), and obtains (receives in full) favor from the Lord."
(Proverbs 8:35 NKJV emphasis mine)
Become a "doer" of the Word and let others see the love of Christ being lived out in your own family. Show them that it isn't a sin for a Christian to have fun, but highly endorsed by God.
"And there you shall eat before the Lord your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your households (family and friends),
in all that you undertake, in which the
Lord your God has blessed you."
(Deuteronomy 12:7 ESV)
"Let them praise His name with dancing, making melody (singing) to Him with tambourine and lyre." (Psalm 149:3 ESV)
"He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with shouting." (Job 8:21 ESV)
"And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets." (Zechariah 8:5 ESV)
Be imaginative as you spend time with new friends and those you love. Sing, shout, play instruments, dance for joy, eat, create, build, fish or whatever you decide to do ... glorify God and have the best family funcation ever!
After the event(s), don't forget to share them here! I'd love to see what ideas you have come up with for your family funcations.
This Week's Challenge?
You want more than 31?
Have a great month friends enjoying the best family funcations you ever had.
Until next time, family favor is God's plan!
I favor My original plan ...
Family Fun Forever!
Jesus Christ
What was that? Have I done all of these? Pretty much ... still on my fun bucket list is the time capsule, filming a cooking show and driveway tailgate party. I made my first film for art class in high school (9th grade). Can you imagine that!
What's New This Week: Click on the link.
Ideas and Activities for Serving Others
by Penny A. Zeller
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