FATHERING LEADERSHIP
Develop a Healthier Personal Behavior PatternDAY 8 | TEN DAYS
Flying Kites | Saying Sorry
PURPOSE OF THIS 10 DAY COURSE:
- LEARN profound lessons through daily stories & reflection
- Gain MOTIVATION to change behavior through understanding
- TRACK your progress | ACCOUNT for what you’ve done
- RECORD your thoughts & impressions
- REPEAT good behavior until healthy habits are formed
WHAT TO DO:
MORNING DEVOTIONAL: FLYING KITES
- Pray | To Heavenly Father
- Sing/Listen to Hymn
- Let Us All Press On
- LDS Hymn #243
- Read Scripture | Matthew 5:21-26
- Serve | How can I serve today?
- Read Story | Flying Kites
- Ponder | Answer
EVENING DEVOTIONAL | SAYING SORRY
- Read Story | Saying Sorry
- Journal | Write in your Journal
- Read Scripture | Matthew 5:27-32
- Sing/Listen to Hymn
- Lord, I Would Follow Thee
- LDS Hymn #220
- Pray | To Heavenly Father
- Ponder | Answer
MORNING DEVOTIONAL | FLYING KITES
PRAY | TO HEAVENLY FATHER
“Dear Heavenly Father,
I thank thee… [use your own words]
I ask thee… [use your own words]
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.”
READ | SCRIPTURE
NEW TESTAMENT | MATTHEW 5:21-26
CHAPTER 5
21. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
22. But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
23. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
24. Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
25. Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
26. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
NOTE
The devil justifies the greatest of crimes and allows the coarsest behavior. Jesus calls us to higher ground, even above an angry word or the slightest contention.
SERVE | HOW CAN I SERVE TODAY?
READ STORY | FLYING KITES
When the teacher announced that today’s science project was going to see whose self-built kite could fly the highest, everyone was excited. She explained that two students could work together in constructing their kite and then the class would go outside and the competition would begin. They would be given fifteen minutes before the highest kite would be declared the winner.
Immediately Harry and Tommy paired off and began studying the kite building instructions given out by the teacher. Harry quickly read out loud, so Tommy could hear, about angles, air pressure, lift, and design measurements.
Paper, balsa wood, glue, and string began to take shape.
“Be sure you follow the instructions carefully,” the teacher reminded the students. “Small mistakes can make big disappointments.”
When everyone was ready, they headed outside with their prized kites in hand. The teacher took a moment to show her impatient students how to read a barometer and explain how lowering pressure often means a storm is coming, bringing with it strong winds. Then the contest began.
Children instantly ran in every direction. Before long kites were climbing into the cloudy sky. Harry and Tommy had attached their string to the kite at a sharp angle. This caused the kite to rise nearly straight above their heads and it gained height quickly.
Tommy was sure they were going to win. He watched Harry let out string, then hold it tight between his fingers while it gained height, and then quickly let out more string.
Their kite climbed higher and higher until suddenly . . . an extra-strong wind snapped the string and their kite began to fall back to earth. The teacher’s whistle blew, calling an end to the competition; at the very moment their kite crashed onto the ground and another joyous team was declared the winner.
After they settled back down into their seats, the teacher asked everyone to share what they had learned from this project. She listed many things on the board. The teacher noticed Tommy’s sad face and asked what was wrong. “My kite should have won,” he said firmly. “If the stupid string hadn’t broken, my kite would have won.”
The teacher smiled and said, “So, you proved to be stronger than the string.” Then she turned to the chalkboard and wrote these words: “Sometimes things that hold you down, hold you up.”
Turning back to face the class she said, “Think about what this means. Can you gain great heights by breaking the laws of nature?”
She then opened a book and removed a small piece of paper. Let me read a poem to you written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow:
“The heights by great men reached and kept
Were not attained by sudden flight,
But they, while their companions slept,
Were toiling upward in the night.”
I hope each of you will learn, the teacher said, to love learning and climb to greater heights by keeping the laws of greatness.
PONDER | ANSWER
Sometimes, things that hold you down, hold you up.
The string that was connected to Harry’s and Tommy’s kite was holding it down and at the same time holding it up. As soon as the string broke, the kite began falling to earth.
Natures laws and God’s eternal laws are much alike. They are intended to restrain us and lift us, both at the same time. If you break God’s laws you will fall. No matter how high you climb above others, if you break the law, you will fall.
On the other hand, if you continue to live the law, you never need worry about falling. When you make and keep a promise with God, your life’s string will be strengthened and made secure.
QUESTIONS
- What are some promises you have made?
- How can you remember your promises?
- How can you strengthen your ability to keep a promise?
- Commitment: I will promise God to remember and keep His commandments.
- Commitment Kept:
- Signature: ________________________
EVENING DEVOTIONAL | SAYING SORRY
READ STORY | SAYING SORRY
Tommy reluctantly followed Harry down the gravel road towards his punishment. Harry’s father was so insistent that they tell the neighbor boy they were sorry that there was no getting out of it.
I probably won’t get any dinner if I don’t say I’m sorry, thought Tommy.
“How long will it be until we get to his house?” Tommy asked Harry.
“Pretty soon,” answered Harry.
Tommy could see the bandage near the corner of Harry’s eye and he wished the stupid rock had missed. Tommy thought to himself: If Harry had just moved out of the way we wouldn’t be on this ridiculous journey and I wouldn’t have to say “I’m sorry,” which I’m not! I’m not the one who threw the dumb rock.
When they finally arrived at the neighbors’ door, Harry knocked politely. Soon a small girl who could barely reach the handle pulled open the door. In an instant another child came running, then another, and another, all noisily wanting to see who was visiting their home. Finally the mother reached the front door with one hand holding on to her needle and mending and the other brushing a lock of hair from her eyes.
“Hello Harry. Why have you come to see us?” she asked.
Harry looked up from the children and began to explain that he had come to apologize for how mean they had been and that they were sorry.
“We started it, not your son,” said Harry.
As soon as she realized why Harry and Tommy were there, she immediately invited them in. Tommy had never seen such a poor house. There was no carpet, no furniture except for one worn out couch he was sure would fall apart if he sat on it, and no framed paintings hanging on the walls. One of the children wanted to know what was in the large basket Harry was carrying and said so before his mother hushed him.
“My father asked us to bring some bread and potatoes to you,” said Harry.
With that, the children began to jump and dance and wave their arms.
“I’ll take them! I’ll take them!” said one child.
“No, let me! Let me!” chorused the others.
After the mother had calmed them and wiped something from her eye, she had her oldest son carry the welcome food to the kitchen. She then offered Harry and Tommy a drink of cool water, thanked them for their kindness, and expressed her concern for Harry’s injury.
“You would have thought it was Christmas,” said Tommy as they began their return trip home. “Why did they get so excited about a few silly potatoes? I could never live in such an old house.”
Harry explained, “They don’t have a father or much of anything. My father always has me bring food to them when I travel this way.”
Tommy was quiet the rest of the way home.
During journal, scripture, and prayer time, Tommy watched Harry. Why is he so different? How come he is always so happy? wondered Tommy.
JOURNAL ENTRY | DAY 8
Record your activites, feelings, thoughts, and/or questions.
READ | SCRIPTURE
NEW TESTAMENT | MATTHEW 5:27-32
CHAPTER 5
38. Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
39. But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
40. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.
41. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
42. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
NOTE
Behaving like Jesus is frequently inconvenient and always humbling.
PRAY | TO HEAVENLY FATHER
“Dear Heavenly Father,
We give our thanks for school and our teacher Miss Brown.
We are grateful for the ability to learn and to help others.
Please bless those who have so much less than we have.
Provide them with food and clothes and shelter for their needs.
Help us to follow Jesus’ teachings.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.”
PONDER | ANSWER
Kindness is often most needed when it is the most difficult to give. “Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
(see Eph 4:32)
Kindness is expressed in words: “A soft answer turneth away wrath.” (see Prov 15:1) Kindness is expressed in deeds: “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.” (see James 1:22).
Kindness won’t change the world, but it will change the people who live in it.
QUESTIONS | THANK YOU LETTER
- Write a THANK YOU LETTER to someone you know.
- How did it make you feel?
- Commitment: I will write a thank you letter.
- Commitment Kept:
- Signature: ________________________
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
TEMPLES
FATHERS