milk & honey mamas

Story contributed by Kristen

Click here for the theological background

Remember, repetition helps children internalize and make connections. It might be a good idea to read the same story every day for a week. You can add different activities every day.

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?

1 Corinthians 6:18 NIV

My dear friends in Corinth,

I remember with great joy the times we had together talking about Jesus, feasting together on his words and his love, eating together, and growing close as a community of brothers and sisters in Jesus.

I have received a letter from Chloe, the leader of a community following Jesus close to you. She tells me that you are having some difficulties and disagreements. I wanted to write a letter to you to see if I can help.

Chloe says that you are trying to figure out who the leader of the church is and whose advice to follow. I can understand this concern. It is confusing to figure out what to do and how to be a community following Jesus without Jesus here. But let me tell you something very important: Jesus is still our leader! I am not the leader, and Chloe is not the leader, and none of us are the leader. We are all leaders because each of us is listening to the Spirit of life, but none of us is totally in charge. We are all trying to follow Jesus. The best way we can follow Jesus is by listening to the Spirit of life, which we can hear as we practice loving ourselves and each other, and by caring for the earth, and by helping those around us. 

I also hear that some of you are concerned about how to treat your bodies. Some of you think that your bodies aren’t very important, and that they are maybe distractions from the Spirit, but this is not true. Don’t you know that your bodies are the place where the Spirit of life lives? Your bodies are precious, and wonderful, and glorious! Please treat your bodies with love and kindness, and remember that you are filled with the Spirit of life if only you can listen to yourself and let the love of Jesus inside. 

I think maybe you are asking a question that I have asked too: what does it mean to be a saint? This is a very good question. I want to give you a very good answer, but I am still learning too. So let me tell you what I think, and we can keep figuring it out together. I think being a saint means being someone who keeps trying, even when it’s hard. Being a saint means being part of a community and working with people who are different with you. It means trying to be kind even when you don’t want to. It means lifting people up even when you disagree with them and coming back even when people make you mad. This is what Jesus taught us, and this is what I think we must try to do. What else can we do but try?

So, my friends, let us try. I believe in you, and I am with you. 

All my love,

Paul

Ideas for Play

Contributed by Kristen

• Print the letter out and put it in an envelope. Stick it in your mailbox as though it is being delivered, and then read it as though you are the community in Corinth!

• Trace your kid(s) body or get a picture of them and talk about all of the wonderful things your bodies can do. How can you show love to your body?

• Watch this video of a prayer by Howard Thurman which I think captures the idea of letting the Spirit fill us with life and open us to God. 

• Learn about who Chloe might have been!

• Sing “I’m Trying to be Like Jesus” and talk about what it means to try and how we will always make mistakes and struggle!

• Read The Book of Mistakes and discuss how mistakes help us become who we want to be.

• What can we do to try to be like Jesus? 

Poetry

Compiled by Caroline

This is a lovely little poem that brings awareness to our bodies. As you read the poem with your children, you could ask them what they love about their body and what they think it means to be a temple for the Spirit.

I HAVE A BODY

By Unknown 

I have a body, a very busy body 

And it goes everywhere with me

And on that body I have nose, 

And it goes everywhere with me

And I sniff sniff here, sniff sniff there

 Sniff sniff sniff sniff everywhere

I have a body, a very busy body 

And it goes everywhere with me

And on that body I have some hands

 And they go everywhere with me

And I clap clap here 

Clap clap clap there

Clap clap clap clap everywhere

I have a body, a very busy body 

And it goes everywhere with me

And on that body I have some feet 

And they go everywhere with me

And I stamp stamp here

Stamp stamp there

Stamp stamp stamp stamp everywhere

I have a body, a very busy body 

And it goes everywhere with me

 And on that body I have a nose, And it goes everywhere with me

And I sniff sniff here, sniff sniff there

 Sniff sniff sniff sniff everywhere

Clap clap here clap clap there 

Clap clap clap clap everywhere

Stamp stamp here stamp stamp there 

Stamp stamp stamp stamp everywhere

I have a body, a very busy body 

And it goes everywhere with me

Art

Compiled by Caroline

These four paintings by LDS artist, Yongsung Kim, portray the joy Christ takes in his body and in creation. Which painting do you like the most? When have you felt joy in your body? When has your body felt the spirit? How does the artist depict Christ’s body? 

Music

Compiled by Caroline

Celebrate your body with these movement songs! 

Shake My Sillies Out, by Raffi

Head and Shoulders, by Old Town School of Folk Music

Discuss what it means to be a Saint. 

Come, Come, Ye Saints, by Rob Gardner