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Grade 1, Lesson 24: Steadfastness

4/12/2014

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A. Reciting and memorizing prayers

Open the class with prayers and then review with the children the prayer they have been learning to say by heart over the past several lessons.
B. Songs (including a review of previous songs)
We Are the People of Bahá - listen HERE
We are the people of Bahá x2
We are the people of x2
We are the people of Bahá
Yá Bahá’u’l-Abhá x2
We are the people of x2
We are the people of Bahá
Firmly we walk the path of God x2
Until the very last
We will be steadfast
Firmly we walk the path of God

[alternative prayer/song and accompanying story can be the "god is sufficient unto me, he verily is the all sufficing. In Him let the trusting trust. Story can be accessed from ruhibook4, page 96.]
E. Game: “The Wolves and the Goats”

You can introduce today’s game by telling a story to the children about a herd of goats that had to pass over a very old bridge to get to the pasture where the sweet grass grew. Underneath the bridge lived a family of wolves that loved to eat little goats. But the wolves were very lazy and always slept a lot, waking up only at the sound of a goat passing over the bridge. The goats were very smart and learned how to walk lightly over the bridge without making any noise because, after all, they did not want to wake up the wolves. They listened closely to the snoring of the wolves, and if at any moment it stopped, they would stay very still, because they knew that the wolves were listening. But if the goats stayed very still, the wolves would go back to sleep.

Now, point to a “bridge” that you have made by laying sticks at different heights between two rows of benches. The children must “cross” the bridge, going under the high sticks and over the low ones. Clap your hands or hit a pan to represent the snoring wolves. Every now and then, the snoring stops and the wolves wake up. At those times, the children crossing the bridge have to stay absolutely still, even if one of their feet is in the air, until the wolves go back to sleep. If a child knocks down a stick or makes even the smallest noise, the wolves wake up and gobble up the little goat.
C. Memorizing quotations

The ideas below are provided to help you introduce the quotation that the children will commit to memory.
One of the most important qualities of a person who truly loves God is steadfastness. No matter what happens in life, we always remember God and our love for Him. Therefore, nothing that others can say or do to us can affect our faith in Him. We love Him and obey His laws and teachings. In order to remember the importance of steadfastness, let us memorize the following quotation of Bahá’u’lláh:

“Supremely lofty will be thy station, if thou remainest steadfast in the Cause of thy Lord.” - listen HERE

Supremely
1. The gardens were supremely beautiful, more beautiful than any that had ever been seen.
2. Maria’s mother made a very special cake for the family. They ate it with great enjoyment and all said it was supremely delicious.

Lofty
1. Each night before she sleeps Martha prays and feels close to God. When she goes to sleep her spirit is in a lofty state.
2. At the meeting, Kumar is giving a talk about world peace and the goodness of humanity. Kumar is speaking of lofty things.

Remain steadfast
1. Her friend keeps telling Rosemary that stars are white spots painted on the sky, but Rosemary has learned that each star is really a far-away sun. Rosemary does not change her mind. She remains steadfast in what she knows to be true.
2. Someone told Mona that it is not important to pray every day, but she kept praying because she knew it was a law of God to pray. Mona remained steadfast in following the law of prayer.

[Alternative quote: "..become as steadfast and immovable as the mountain in His cause." - Baha'u'llah

​Judaism: He only is my Rock and my Salvation; He is my Defense and my Fortress, I shall not be moved. Psalms 62:6
Christianity: Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58
Islam: And seek aid in steadfast patience and prayer: and this, indeed, is a hard thing for all but the humble in spirit, Quran 2:45 (Asad)
Baha'i Faith: Supremely lofty will be thy station, if thou remainest steadfast in the Cause of thy Lord. Baha'u'llah
Today is the day for steadfastness and constancy. Blessed are they that stand firm and immovable as the rock. Abdu'l-Baha]
D. Story

Perhaps you know that Bahíyyih Khánum was the younger sister of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. She was only six years old when their beloved Father, Bahá’u’lláh, was arrested and sent to prison by an unjust government, that was fearful of the truth of the divine message He proclaimed. Her family had been one of the wealthiest in the city. Now all of their possessions were taken away. At times she had only a handful of flour to eat in place of bread.

When her Father was released at last and forced by the government to leave their homeland, Bahíyyih Khánum and her family set out on mules for the city of Baghdád, in a neighboring country. The journey took three months in the bitter cold of winter. Never again would she return to the land of her birth.

For ten years, the family remained in Baghdád, where Bahíyyih Khánum passed the rest of her childhood. Then, suddenly, her Father was ordered by the authorities, still threatened by His growing influence, to leave Baghdád, and Bahíyyih Khánum, now a young woman, went with her family, first to far off Constantinople and then to Adrianople. Danger was at its height. Opposition to her Father grew, and eventually an attempt was made on His precious life.

After almost five years in Adrianople, living under such stress and strain, dear Bahíyyih Khánum was uprooted once again when the government banished her Father to the prison-city of ‘Akká. For some forty years, that gentle soul lived with her family as a prisoner among the worst of criminals within the walls of the desolate city.

During that time the Father she so loved departed this world, and with His passing, it now became Bahíyyih 
Khánum’s duty to support her beloved Brother, Who had been appointed the Head of His Father’s Faith. Many of their friends and relatives, jealous of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, turned against Him. But Bahíyyih Khánum faced each blow with quiet patience and fortitude.


And when ‘Abdu’l-Bahá passed into the next world many years later, Bahíyyih Khánum became the greatest supporter and staunchest defender of His grandson, young Shoghi Effendi, as he took over the duties that fell on him as his Grandfather’s successor. Bahíyyih Khánum was now an old woman, some seventy years of age. Her life had been filled with turmoil and upheaval. It moved from adversity to adversity, from calamity to calamity. But her spirit remained constant, and her heart always filled with the love of God. She was steadfast and firm. The dignity and joy, the kindness and grace, that were hers as a child stayed with her until the final days of her life.
​E. Game??
F. Colouring: Drawing 24
Rock Painting - Let the kids paint big rocks that could be used as decorations outside, or smaller rocks that could be used as paper weights.
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Hot Rock Coloring 
Heat smooth rocks in an over at apx 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. Take them out with pot-holders and set them on thick mats of newspaper to work on. The kids color them with crayons while they are warm so the crayons melt onto the rocks. This is really fun but make sure the kids are old enough to understand how not to burn themselves on the rocks while they are hot.

Another HERE.

G. Closing prayers
lesson24steadfastness.pdf
File Size: 144 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Steadfastness from The Family Virtues Guide

"My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast."  -- Psalms 57:8

What is Steadfastness?
Steadfastness is being steady and dependable, sticking with something no matter what. Do you know the story about the tortoise and the hare? Even though the tortoise was very slow compared to the rabbit, he won the race by being steadfast.  He kept on going.
Steadfastness is being faithful and purposeful.  Steadfastness is remaining true to someone or something in spite of any tests or obstacles that appear to stop you.  When you are steadfast, you commit yourself to something for however long it may take. 

Why Practice Steadfastness?
Without steadfastness, people waver.  They can be enthusiastic one minute and doubtful the next.  They may finish something they agreed to do or they may forget about it.  It depends how many doubts they have or how hard it becomes to keep their commitments.  You never know what you can count on with someone who is not practising steadfastness.
When we are steadfast, even when we have doubts, in our hearts we remain committed.  When we are steadfast, we can shrug off the doubts because down deep we know where we stand and are committed for the long run.  Others are reassured by the strength and dependability of our commitment.   With steadfastness we keep moving forward.

How Do You Practice It?
You practice steadfastness by being committed.  You need to decide if something is worthy of your commitment.  Think about it and then decide.  You need to know before you start that you are in this until it is finished.  
Then pace yourself.  When you practice steadfastness, you keep a steady pace, and remain constant no matter wheat.  If you are doing a job, keep at it without going too fast to tire yourself out, or too slow to get it done on time.  Just put one foot in front of the other and keep on going.  If you are steadfast in learning something new, you stick with it even when you wonder if you will ever understand.  Get whatever help you need to keep going.
If you are a steadfast friend, you stick by your friends even when they aren't much fun, they need a lot of attention, or they are going through a hard time.
When you find yourself wondering, "Can I really do this?" or "Is it really worth all this effort?" , steadfastness helps you to accept your doubts and do it anyway.
You are like a strong ship in the storm.  You don't let yourself become battered or blown off course.  You just ride the waves.

What would steadfastness look like if...
  • You have been friends with someone for a long time and you begin to feel bored?
  • You are in the middle of a hard job and start feeling tired?
  • You have spent a lot of time practising a sport, dance or art and begin to wonder if you can really succeed?
  • Your family is hiking to the top of a mountain and you don't think you can make it?
  • You have a new chore and are afraid you will forget to do it?
  • Your best friend moves away and you don't want to forget her

Signs of Success
Congratulations! You are practising steadfastness when you...
  • Think about whether you really want to commit to something or someone
  • Pace yourself, go at a rate you can maintain
  • Take it one step at a time, remaining steady
  • Don't let doubts or tests blow you off course
  • Stand by your friends and loved ones
  • Ask God to help you keep steadfast
Keep trying! You need more practice when you...
  • Don't make commitments
  • Just do what is easiest at the moment
  • Do things just until they become difficult
  • Give into your doubts
  • Don't finish things that are difficult
  • Speed up or slow down too much
AFFIRMATION
I am steadfast.  I keep a steady pace in what I choose to do.  I keep on keeping on.  I am a loyal and committed friend.  
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Grade 1, Lesson 23: Patience

4/11/2014

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A. Reciting and memorizing prayers

After opening prayers have been recited, the children should finish memorizing the prayer presented in Lesson 18 so that they can dedicate the next class to its review.
B. Songs (including a review of previous songs)

Patience - listen HERE
Your legs are getting tired
And the road is very long, long, long
You want to give up trying
And the sun is beating strong
No sense gettin’ impatient
It’s useless if you cry
If you take it step by step
The time goes rushing by
CHORUS:
Patience is the answer
When you’re sad and blue
Patience is rewarded
It brings happiness to you
Your brother doesn’t understand
But you’ve explained it more than twice
You really ought to try again
And do your best to be nice
No sense gettin’ impatient
It’s useless to be stern
If you show him kindness
It’s the way to help him learn
CHORUS
You want to do much better
But still you don’t succeed
You wonder why make an effort
And where it all will lead
No sense gettin’ impatient
It’s silly to do less
If you keep on striving
You’ll eventually progress
CHORUS (with last two lines repeated)
C. Memorizing quotations

The children will learn a quotation related to patience today, which you can present to them in the following way:

Patience is one of the most important qualities we can possess. Without patience we can achieve little in this life. In our studies, in our work, in our friendships with others, in our efforts to grow spiritually, patience is necessary. Not all things in life can be done quickly. Many things can only be done little by little, day after day. When we exercise patience, we do not try to hurry those things that require time. We need to be patient with others and ourselves, because we are all learning and growing. To help us in our efforts to acquire patience, let us memorize the following quotation:

“He, verily, shall increase the reward of them that endure with patience.” listen HERE

Endure
1. Lixin and her family moved to a far away place. For the first few months, they had many difficulties. But, with the help of their kind neighbors, they were able to endure these difficulties and are now very happy in their new home.
2. Hugh became ill. He was in a great deal of pain, but did not complain. He endured his suffering with patience.

[Other quotes:
Buddhism: The greatest prayer is patience Buddha
Judaism: I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. Psalms 40:1
Christianity: Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossions 3:12,13
Islam: And be patient in adversity: for, verily, God is with those who are patient in adversity. Quran 8:46 (Asad)
Baha'i Faith: The sign of love is fortitude under My decree and patience under My trials. Baha'u'llah
Be thou a . . . sea of patience Abdu'l-Baha]
D. Story

Li Xin was very fond of peaches. They were one of his most favorite foods. Every day, he would bring a peach with him to school and eat it during his lunch break. He enjoyed every bite, but he always threw away the pit, with the seed inside.

One day, Li Xin’s class was learning about seeds. This gave Li Xin an idea. He would plant a seed from his peach and help it grow into a tree! At lunchtime, he saved the pit from his peach and wrapped it in a piece of paper. When school ended, he raced home and asked his father to help him find a place to start growing his tree. His father reminded him that he would have to wait for the pit to dry before he could get the seed out. Still, Li Xin wanted to plant the pit right away. “Li Xin,” said his father, “if you don’t have the patience to dry the pit, how will you have the patience to wait for the seed to sprout?” So Li Xin set the pit out to dry.

A few days later, Li Xin was finally able to crack the pit and pull out the seed. His mother showed him a corner of the yard where the tree could grow big and tall. Li Xin dug a small hole and dropped in the seed, then covered it with a mound of moist earth. He grinned with excitement. His tree was finally on its way!

Every day, Li Xin would visit the mound, hoping to see some sign that the seed had sprouted. But no sprout appeared for weeks, and Li Xin grew disheartened. Seeing Li Xin’s concern, his mother asked him what was wrong. “My seed is not growing,” Li Xin said. “I wonder if I will ever have a tree.” “Well,” said his mother, “this seed has a lot of growing to do. In that way it is very much like you. When you were born, you were just a tiny little thing and all you did was eat and sleep. And now look at you! You are a young boy, walking, talking, and thinking for yourself! This tree may take many years to grow, but, if you care for it well, then someday you will be able to sit in its shade and enjoy its fruit.” Thinking of this, Li Xin grew hopeful again. He knew from his class that a seed had to go through many changes before it could even become a sprout.

Then, one spring day, Li Xin went out to visit the mound, as he always did, and to his great excitement he saw a tiny green sprout poking up through the earth! His tree was growing! He ran to his neighbor, who was a farmer, and told her the exciting news. She gave him advice on how to care for the tree while it was so young and vulnerable, and he listened to her every word, eager to nurture it as best he could. “Soon I will have many peaches to give you as thanks for your good advice,” said Li Xin. But the neighbor just smiled. “Li Xin, do you remember how you had to be patient while you waited for the pit to dry?” Li Xin nodded. “And do you remember how you needed even more patience while you waited for your seed to sprout?” Li Xin remembered this, too. “Well,” said the neighbor, “it will take even longer before your sapling becomes a tree and some time after that before it gives fruit. It could be years before the tree is ready to produce any peaches for you to enjoy.”

And so Li Xin cared for the tree and tended to its needs as it grew from a sprout to a sapling and from a sapling to a tree. Little by little, it grew taller and broader, just as he did. And then one day, as Li Xin returned from school, he saw the tree’s first peaches beginning to emerge where only blossoms had been before. Once again, he felt the joy that filled his heart when the seed had first sprouted. And once again he knew that he would have to exercise patience. For it would be some time still before the peaches would be ready to eat.
E. Game: “Find the Starter”

Choose one child to go out of the group. While he or she is gone, the rest of the class picks another child to be “the starter”. All the children then follow the actions of the leader. For example, if he or she claps, everyone else does the same. If he or she starts waving good-bye, so do all the others. The one who was sent out must look carefully and try to discover who the leader is. At the same time, the others are careful not to look at the leader too closely or too much, which would make it easy for him or her to be identified by the one searching.

[Red Light, Green Light: i.e. "freeze" is an alternative that emphasizes patience.  One child stands away from the others who are at a starting line.  When the isolated child's back is turned, everyone sneaks/runs up to them.  That child will turn suddenly (or after yelling "red light"), and see if everyone's frozen.  If any kids are caught moving they have to go back to the starting point. This is repeated until one of the kids gets close enough to touch the traffic light and then it's their turn to be the light. Remind the kids that they are practicing patience during the red lights.]

[The improvisation scene (for the children to act out) was set as follows:
  • Patience and Impatience each have a small plot of land. One year, they both decide to plant and harvest corn on their land. They gather up the seeds and equipment. How does Patience plant and harvest his crop? How does Impatience do it? The outcome? As Impatience kept digging up the seeds to see if they had grown already, his crop was tiny in the end, most of the seeds never made it grow into a full plant. Patience’s crop was bountiful and he managed to sell a lot of his harvest on the local market…]
F. Colouring: Drawing 23
Little Plants to Take Home. 
Off and on throughout the year Target stores usually have small grow your own plant kits. At about $1 a piece they're very affordable and easy to purchase ahead of time. The kids can plant the seeds in class and take it home and patiently care for it and watch the plant grow. Or, if you're doing this in a classroom setting they can take care of them in class.
Sea of Patience Paper Tearing Project 
Using new or recycled paper that has a variety of colors, textures, or patterns, have the kids rip paper and use it to create an illustration for the quote, "Be thou... a sea of patience." The example photographed was made with scrapbooking paper, which works well because the paper has several layers so it can be torn in such a way as to reveal the white layers under the print.
G. Closing Prayers
lesson23patience.pdf
File Size: 142 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Patience from The Family Virtues Guide

"O you who believe, seek courage in fortitude and prayer; for God is with those who are patient and persevere."  -- Al-Qur'an 2:153

What Is Patience?
Patience is quiet hope and expectation based on trust that, in the end, everything will be all right.  Patience means waiting. It is enduring a delay or troublesome situation without complaining. 
It means having self-control because you can't control the way someone else is acting, or when things don't go as you'd like. Patience is being calm and tolerant when difficult things happen.
Patience is persevering - sticking with something for as long as it takes to finish it. When you are patient, you know that things take time, just as a seed you plant will someday grow into a flower or a fruit-bearing tree.  Patience is a commitment to the future.  It is doing something now so that later something good will happen.  It is also tolerating all of the things necessary to make it happen.  Patience is seeing the end in the beginning - doing what you can and then calmly waiting, with trust that the results will come.

Why Practice Patience?
Without patience, people want everything now. They might plant a seed in the ground and want to eat the fruit right away.  They have trouble doing things ow which will have a result later, such as a project that takes a lot of work, or going to school so that someday they can be a doctor or an artist or an engineer.
Without patience, people can't stand to wait for anyone and fuss the whole time, which makes them and everyone else even more upset.  When people are impatient, they act mad and irritable when things don't go their way or other people make mistakes.  
When people practice patience, they do things now that will bear fruit in the future. They plant seeds to flowers, vegetables and trees will grow.  They study subjects that they will put to use ten years from now.
When people are patient, they don't whine, complain or criticize.  They forgive other people and themselves.  They make the world a kind and gentle place, and other people feel safe around them.

How Do You Practice It?
You practice patience by accepting things you cannot control. Even if you feel impatient, you act calm and accepting while waiting for someone who is delayed.  You have faith that things will turn out all right in the end.  A sense of humour helps!
When you practice patience, you surrender to something that you have to endure, like an illness that will last a certain time, or a handicap you may always have, instead of fighting it and getting mad about it.  You are gentle with others when they make mistakes, and you are gentle with yourself too.
Patience helps you to stick to something you are trying to do, even when it gets difficult or tiresome.  You persevere until it is finished, even if there is no reward for all your work until the very end.  You are willing to set goals for your future, knowing that it is really worth the effort.
Patience is having goals and picturing the end in the beginning.  Trust in God can give you patience - a quiet hope that can get you through the hard times.

What would patience look like if...
  • Your mother is very late picking you up and you have been waiting a long time?
  • You decide that you want to be a lawyer when you grow up?
  • You want to grow some vegetables in your garden?
  • You start to get annoyed when your sister forgets to put back something she borrowed from you?
  • You wish you were taller?
  • You have an illness that keeps you from playing your favourite sport?

Signs of Success
Congratulations! You are practising patience when you...
  • Calmly tolerate a delay or confusion
  • Are willing to wait for things you want
  • Set goals and stick with them until they are completed
  • Do something now which will help you in the future
  • Accept things you cannot control with humour and grace
  • Are gentle with others when they make mistakes
  • Rely on God to help you persevere
Keep trying! You need more practice when you...
  • Think that everything you want should come right away
  • Figure that if something takes time it is not worth it
  • Get frustrated if things do not bear fruit right away
  • Do only those things that have instant payoff
  • Are irritable with others when they make a mistake or keep you waiting
  • Don't tryst God to help things turn out alright
AFFIRMATION
I am patient.  I am gentle with others and myself when mistakes are made.  I set goals and persevere until my goals are won.  I trust God that all will be well.
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Grade 1, Lesson 22: Faithfulness

4/11/2014

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A. Reciting and memorizing prayers

By the next class, the students should finish memorizing the prayer that they have been learning over the past few lessons. You will want to make sure, then, that they are advancing well in their efforts. You will first, of course, begin the class with prayers.
B. Songs (including a review of previous songs)

I Want to Be Happy - listen HERE
There is something you must know
In this Faith we have to show
We are men of deeds, not of words
Our very life should show our Faith to friend and foe
CHORUS:
I want to be happy
I want to be strong
To be His servant
My whole life long
So, I must obey the laws of God
Yes, I must obey the laws of God
There is something you must know
In this world of pomp and show
People are tired of empty speech
They want to see you practice what you teach
CHORUS
C. Memorizing quotations

The children will learn the following quotation by heart today. Below are some ideas to help you explain the quotation to your students:

A faithful soul never forgets its love for God. It is out of our faithfulness to Him that we always put forth effort to follow His teachings and obey His laws, even when it becomes difficult. So it is that we work hard to serve others and to do worthy deeds, with no other thought than attaining His good pleasure. For the faithful soul there is no greater joy than striving to please God. Let us memorize this quotation of Bahá’u’lláh:

“Happy is the faithful one who is attired with the vesture of high endeavour and hath arisen to serve this Cause.” listen HERE

Attired
1. Mae has a good dress that she only wears on special occasions. She put on her dress for the community gathering. Mae was attired in her special dress.
2. For the ceremony, the King put on his velvet robe. He was attired in his finest clothes.

Vesture
1. In some places, judges must wear a white wig and a long black robe in a court of law. They must wear the full vesture of judges.
2. Before leaving the palace, the prince puts on his sash and crown. He puts on his royal vesture.

Endeavor
1. The students decided to plant trees around the school. The community supported their endeavor by providing seedlings and soil.
2. Pierre and Arlene decided that they would climb to the top of the mountain. They knew that this would be a difficult endeavor, but they were determined to try.

[Quotes from other religions: 
Christianity: If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. Matthew 17:20
Islam: Such is God, your Sustainer: there is no deity save Him, the Creator of everything: worship, then, Him alone -for it is He who has everything in His care. Quran 6:102 (Asad)]

D. Story

When ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was a young boy, His family, which was part of the nobility of Persia, had a servant by the name of Iṣfandíyár. He was very loyal to the family, and they trusted him a great deal. When the authorities, out of prejudice and ignorance, had ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s beloved Father, Bahá’u’lláh, arrested, all of the family’s possessions were taken away. They were left with nothing, and anyone close to Bahá’u’lláh was in danger. Still, Iṣfandíyár continued to look after the family. Knowing that many officers would be looking for Iṣfandíyár, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s mother urged him to leave the city. But Iṣfandíyár would not leave.


“I cannot go,” he said, explaining that he owed money to many shopkeepers for items he had purchased. “How can I go?” he asked. “They will say that the servant of Bahá’u’lláh has bought and consumed the goods and supplies of the storekeepers without paying for them. Unless I pay all these obligations, I cannot go. But if they take me, never mind. If they punish me, there is no harm in that. If they kill me, do not be grieved. But to go away is impossible. I must remain until I pay all I owe.”

For one month Iṣfandíyár went about in the streets and bazaars, selling small things he owed. When he had paid every last debt, he went to the family and said good-bye, for he knew he could stay with them no longer. A minister agreed to take him in and protect and shelter him during this dangerous time.

Many months later, Bahá’u’lláh was released from prison and He and His family were exiled from Persia by the authorities. They went to Baghdád, a city in the neighboring country. Iṣfandíyár, ever faithful to Bahá’u’lláh, journeyed to Baghdád to ask whether he could once again serve in His household. Bahá’u’lláh said to him, “When you left us, there was a Persian minister who gave you a place to stay when no one else could give you protection. Because he gave you shelter and protected you, you must be faithful to him. If he is satisfied to have you go, then come to us; but if he does not want you to go, do not leave him.”

Of course, Iṣfandíyár was so upright, so trustworthy and loyal, that the minister did not want him to go. “O Iṣfandíyár!” he exclaimed, “I am not willing that you should go, yet, if you wish to go, let it be according to your own will.” But Iṣfandíyár remembered Bahá’u’lláh’s words. He remained in the minister’s service until, some time later, the minister passed away and Iṣfandíyár once again returned to the family he so loved, serving ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to the end of his days. 
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E. Game: “Who is knocking at my door?”

Blindfold one of the children, who should be seated on a bench with his or her back to the rest of the class. Now point to another child. He or she should go up to the blindfolded child and knock on the bench. The child who is seated says, “Who is knocking at my door?” The other, trying to disguise his or her voice, responds, “It’s me!” The seated child tries to guess who is knocking. The blindfolded child has three guesses, and then another child is given a turn.
F. Colouring: Drawing 22
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G. Closing prayers
lesson22faithfultogod.pdf
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Faithfulness - from The Family Virtues Guide

"Be faithful til death, and I will give you the crown of life." - John 2:10

What is Faithfulness?
Faithfulness is being true to someone or something.  It is holding to what you believe is important no matter what happens.  Faithfulness is belief that stands up to the test of time.  It is starting out on a path and staying on it no matter how many times you stop or get distracted.
Faithfulness is being like a rock in the midst of rushing waters. You stand firm no matter what.  It comes from really knowing and living what you believe.  When you are faithful you can be counted on and trusted.  You show up when you said you would show up. You keep your commitments regardless of what you would rather do.
Faithfulness is needed when you have beliefs and principles that can't be proven to others.  If you are faithful to your beliefs, such as belief in God, honesty or friendship, others can see your values in the way you act.

Why Practice Faithfulness?
When people don't show faithfulness, they say one thing and do another.  One day they believe something, and the next day they believe something else.  You never know that they believe. They probably don't know what they believe wither.  You can never count on them for anything.  They say they will be somewhere, but then if something distracts them, they don't show up.  They change their minds a lot. You never know where they stand.  So people stop trusting them.
When people are faithful, you know what they stand for, and you can trust them.  You see their beliefs in their lives.  You can count on them to keep their agreements.  When people are faithful, they get things gone regardless of distractions that come up.  They are faithful friends.
Once a friend, always a friend.

How Do You Practice It?
Being faithful means you keep promises.  You only make agreements you keep. You walk your talk.  If you say you will do something for someone else, you do it even if you feel like doing something else instead.
To do a job faithfully means you do it with as much excellence and precision as you can.  And you do it on time.
You practice faithfulness by learning and questioning and finding answers about your beliefs. As you grow in your beliefs, you practice them as faithfully as you can.
Listen to your heart when things come up to test your faith. Faith is not really faith unless it is tested. Your faith gets stronger when your beliefs are tested and you still find that they are true.  
When you are faithful in relationships, you are loyal.  You don't talk about someone behind their back.  If you feel mad or hurt, you go to them and  talk about it privately.  You don't leave an old friend when a new one comes along.
You make the circle wider.

What would faithfulness look like if...
  • You told your father you would come right home but you are tempted to go with your friends to do something fun?
  • You feel some doubt inn your beliefs because people you admire don't agree with them?
  • A new friend tries to get you to give up an old one?
  • You have some homework to do and don't feel like doing the whole thing?
  • You agreed to do a chore for your family every Saturday?
Signs of Success
Congratulations! You are practising faithfulness when you...
  • Listen to your heart when your beliefs are tested
  • Only make promises you can keep
  • Make sure your words and deeds match
  • Keep your agreements
  • Do a job as carefully and fully as it needs to be done
  • Are loyal to your friends and family
  • Clear up problems face to face
Keep trying! You need more practice when you... 
  • Don't believe that anything is important
  • Accept a belief without thinking for yourself
  • Change your beliefs when if they are tested
  • Say one thing and do another
  • Talk about people behind their back
  • Don't keep commitments
  • Do a quick or sloppy job. 
AFFIRMATION
I am faithful to what I believe.  I am a faithful friend.  I do not backbite.  I clear up my problems face to face.  I keep my problems.  I walk my talk. 
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Grade 1, Lesson 21: Radiance

4/11/2014

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A. Reciting and memorizing prayers

Following the opening prayers, the students should continue memorizing the prayer presented in Lesson 18.
B. Songs (including a review of previous songs)

Siyahamba - listen HERE
Siyahamb’ ekukhanyen’ kwenkhos x4
CHORUS:
Siyahamba, hamba, Siyahamba, hamba

Siyahamb’ ekukhanyen’ kwenkhos
Siyahamba, hamba, Siyahamba, hamba
Siyahamb’ ekukhanyen’ kwenkhos
We are marching in the light of God x4
We are marching, marching x2
We are marching in the light of God
We are marching, marching x2
We are marching in the light of God
Siyahamb’ ekukhanyen’ kwenkhos x4
CHORUS
We are singing as one family x4
CHORUS
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C. Memorizing quotations

In today’s class the children will memorize a quotation about radiance, which you can introduce in the following way:

The light of the love of God never ceases to illumine our hearts. As this light grows brighter and brighter, the warmth of our love and kindness becomes ever stronger. And those around us can feel the warmth of our love through our joyful and kind deeds and our bright and shining faces. They feel drawn to the glow that lights up our hearts. To help us remember the importance of the quality of radiance, let us memorize the following quotation:

“O Son of Being! Thou art My lamp and My light is in thee. Get thou from it thy radiance and seek none other than Me.” listen HERE

Radiance
1. Sometimes, when we leave a dark room and go outside, we have to cover our eyes until they get used to the bright light. We have to shield our eyes from the radiance of the sun.
2. Mrs. Santos loves everyone like her own family. She is always generous, kind and helpful towards others. The love in her heart is felt by all the people she meets, bringing them joy. Everyone is touched by her radiance.

Seek
1. When a baby bird hatches, the mother will look for food to feed it. The mother bird will seek food for the new chick.
2. The school invited all the students on a special outing. In order to attend, they needed their parents’ permission. All the students were asked to seek approval from their parents to go on the outing.

D. Story

Dorothy Baker was a noble and distinguished lady and one of the great figures of the Bahá’í Faith. When she was a young girl, she had the honor of meeting ‘Abdu’l-Bahá during His travels in the West. She was so drawn to His radiance and love that she longed to follow in His footsteps.

It was Dorothy’s grandmother, Ellen Beecher, who took her to meet ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Arriving at a house that she had never been to before, Dorothy entered a room in which many people were talking quietly and reverently while waiting for ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to speak. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá smiled at Mrs. Beecher as they came in the room and motioned to the young Dorothy to sit near Him. Dorothy was a very shy child. Without looking up from the floor, she carefully walked past the people who were sitting around Him to reach the footstool near His feet.

While ‘Abdu’l-Bahá spoke, she sat with her eyes down, staring at her black shoes. He did not look at her, and she did not have the courage to look at Him. Dorothy was nervous and continued looking down, afraid of the unknown. But gradually she relaxed, and soon her fear was gone. A feeling of deep longing had come over her. She was filled by a strong desire for her soul to be lost in the greatness of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s love. She was touched by His radiance, wrapped in the warmth of His presence.

Dorothy’s fear had been replaced by a greater force. She could not imagine being separated from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá for even one moment. His loving eyes seemed to speak to her, telling her of the spiritual worlds of God. His radiance was magnetic. Without even realizing that she had moved, Dorothy found herself turned in His direction, with her elbows on her knees and her chin in her hands, gazing at ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s luminous face.

Dorothy could not remember what ‘Abdu’l-Bahá spoke about that day. All she could remember was His kind face, His melodious voice, and the warmth of His presence. The love she had in her heart was so strong that at last she decided to write a letter to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. In her letter, she begged Him to let her serve Him and the Cause of His Father, Bahá’u’lláh. In His answer to Dorothy, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá praised her goal, assured her of God’s bounties: "My hope is this: that you will succeed in your desire". And, indeed, Dorothy dedicated her entire life to serving God and humanity.
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To know more about the life of Dorothy Beecher Baker HERE is a great article. 
E. Game: “Two Way Copy”

Divide the children into pairs, each child facing his or her partner. Now ask one child in each pair to begin moving, while the other child mirrors his or her movements. After a few minutes, the partners can switch roles. You can also have them mirror facial expressions rather than movements. Next, have one child in each pair stand behind the other. As the one in the front moves, the one behind should shadow his or her movements.
F. Colouring: Drawing 21
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G. Closing Prayers
lesson21radiance.pdf
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Grade 1, Lesson 20: To know God and to love God

4/11/2014

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A. Reciting and memorizing prayers

The students should focus on learning a few more phrases of the prayer they are committing to memory, after the opening prayers have been recited.
B. Songs (including a review of previous songs)

Look at Me listen HERE
Look at Me...
Follow Me
Be as I am
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Teach the Faith...
Serve your Lord...
Love mankind...
Look at Me...
C. Memorizing quotations

To introduce today’s quotation, you may explain the following:

Every human being was created to know God and to love Him, and we all have the spark of His love in our hearts. It is important that we feed the flame of the love of God by praying to Him daily and by serving others. And as this flame burns with greater and greater intensity, it can be felt by all those who cross our path and its light can illumine their minds. When we are so enkindled, we become like burning candles that cannot help but to give forth light. Let us memorize the following quotation:

“Verily, I supplicate God to enkindle in thy heart the fire of His love...” listen HERE.

Supplicate
1. One day, George, a most trusted servant, went to his King in need of assistance. George’s daughter was very ill, and he asked whether the King’s doctor might come to see her. George supplicated the King to send the doctor to help his daughter.
2. At school Tatiana heard about children in another part of the world who were suffering greatly because a flood had washed away all their homes. Tatiana was very concerned for her far away brothers and sisters, and that night she remembered them in her prayers, asking God to help them. Tatiana supplicated God for His assistance.

Enkindle
1. The house was cold, so Axel’s father decided to start a fire. He put large logs in the stove and lit some small twigs below. The wood soon became enkindled, and the fire warmed the room.
2. A scientist came to the school and explained to the students many interesting things about the workings of the universe. They began to ask her various questions after the talk. She had enkindled in the students a desire to know more about the world.
D. Story; Song about Thomas Breakwell listen HERE

Thomas Breakwell was a young Englishman who lived at the turn of the 19th century. He held an important position in a cotton mill in the southern United States and spent his vacations in Europe. On his way to Europe in the summer of 1901, he met a woman on a steamship and began talking with her about spiritual subjects. When they arrived in Paris, the woman took him along to meet a friend of hers who lived in an apartment in the city and who, she knew, had similar interests. The young woman welcomed them, and the three talked for some time. Before leaving, Breakwell asked his hostess whether he might return to speak further. He was invited to come back the next morning.

When he arrived, the young woman noticed that his eyes were shining brightly and his voice was full of emotion. She asked him to be seated. Breakwell looked at her intently for a moment, and then described for her a strange experience. After he had left her home the day before, he had walked along an avenue, alone, in the warm and heavy evening air. Not a leaf stirred around him. Then, all of a sudden, a great wind came up and he could hear in that wind a voice, sweet and powerful, speaking of the coming of a new message from God.

The young woman urged him to be calm. You see, she knew of the message to which Breakwell referred. During the next three days, over the course of many hours, she told him everything she could about the Bahá’í Faith—its history and its teachings—and about ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the Perfect Exemplar of those teachings, who was living in the prison-city of ‘Akká, in the Holy Land.

By the end of three days, Breakwell’s heart was so filled with joy and hope that he wanted nothing other than to travel to ‘Akká and visit ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. It happened that there was another young man who had already made plans to go to the Holy Land for this very purpose and who was most pleased to have Breakwell accompany him. So, a message was sent to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá requesting permission for him to come and, in a short time, they were on their way.

"My Lord, I believe, forgive me. Thy servant Thomas Breakwell."

When the two men arrived at ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s home, they were taken into a room where several other men were gathered. Looking around, Breakwell became deeply troubled. There was no one in the room to whom his heart was drawn, and thinking that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá must be among those present, he feared that he had failed to recognize that Heavenly Being about whom he learned in Paris. He sat down in despair. At that moment, a door opened, and Breakwell looked up. He saw there a brilliant light, from which the figure of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá emerged. He immediately knew that his dearest wish had been fulfilled.

Breakwell spent two glorious days in the presence of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, during which the fire that had been enkindled in his heart grew stronger and stronger. When Breakwell told ‘Abdu’l-Bahá about his job at the cotton mill, where children were used as workers, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá advised him to resign from his post, which he did without hesitation. At the end of his visit, he returned to Paris, his spirit ablaze. He no longer had income from his well-paying position in the cotton mill, and he suffered greatly from illness. But these things did not dim his joy in the least. He burned like a bright candle, sharing his light with everyone he met until at last, overcome by his illness, he died. Upon his passing, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá revealed a Tablet in his honor, which includes the following verse: “O Breakwell, O my dear one! Thou hast lit a flame within the lamp of the Company on high, thou hast set foot in the Abhá Paradise, thou hast found a shelter in the shadow of the Blessed Tree, thou hast attained His meeting in the haven of Heaven.”
I was thinking it might be neat to make a little book about Thomas Breakwell like the ones regarding Shoghi Effendi above.  Having a picture of Thomas Breakwell, the group picture, a picture of 'Abdu'l-Baha, Thomas Breakwells name nice and big on the cover, the quote from Thomas Breakwell declaring his faith, the reply from 'Abdu'l-Baha, the quote the children learn in the lesson.  Will put up a picture when I give it a go :).
E. Game: “Help the Sick”

Choose one of the children to pretend to be the “sick patient”. Now have two other children clasp their hands (right with right, and left with left) in order to form a “chair”. The other classmates should now help the “sick friend” into the chair. Select a tree or another specific place to be the “health center”, and ask the children forming the chair to carry the “sick” child to that spot.

With a larger group, the children can be asked to form a “stretcher” instead of a chair by standing in two lines facing each other. They should bend their arms at the elbows, with each one grasping the forearms of the child across from him or her. The “sick” child should then lie on the stretcher to be carried to the “health center”.
F. Colouring - drawing 20
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G. Closing Prayers
lesson20loveofgod.pdf
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love_for_god.pdf
File Size: 321 kb
File Type: pdf
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