Journey Toward Change
40-Day Calendar for Children
by two children who wish to remain anonymous
Graphic from Alternatives' collection Worship Alternatives: Art | More ART
Use this 40-day guide for your personal inspiration and growth. Share it with others! Make as many copies as you like without paying any royalty under the Creative Commons attribution, not-for-profit license.
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This calendar was designed just for kids. The theme of this calendar is "journeying toward change" - change in the world and ourselves. It is intended to help you discover and begin lifestyle changes during the forty days of Lent. The calendar will help you to become more environmentally aware and sensitive to other people, and will, hopefully, help you to understand Christ better.
We hope that you will use and share this calendar and that you will take time to write a summary of changes you have made once Easter has past. We encourage you to take any opportunity you have to do something for the environment or just be nice to someone, even when it is not on the calendar. We also hope that you will continue to do things like the things you have been doing even after Lent is over.
So enjoy the calendar for the 40 days it lasts!
1 Choose one thing to give up over the course of Lent (ex.: candy or a TV show).
2 Read Psalm 23 and discuss it with your family.
3 Make a list of all the environmentally aware things you do; Discuss it with your family.
4 Plant a seed in a pot today. Water it every day that the dirt feels dry.
5 This is the last stanza of Evening by Thomas Miller:
[God] holds all things in [God's] right hand
The rich, the poor, the great, the small.
When we sleep or sit or stand,
[God] is with us for [God] loves us all. *
6 Discuss with your family ways that you could reuse old shopping bags. And remember to bring home your paper lunch bag to use it again.
7 What are you doing to help the poor? Think of one thing you can do.
8 Try to forgive someone today. Think about what it means to forgive.
9 Do you do your share of the family chores?
10 An acre of wheat "produces 5 times more protein than an acre of meat," says Frances Moore Lappe in her book Diet for a Small Planet. Ask your parents to let your family give up meat today.
11 Try not to complain when someone asks you to do something.
12 Write a few sentences about what Lent means to you. Share it with your family.
13 Do you keep your promises? Try to keep some today.
14 Go through your old toys, choosing ones to fill a box. Give them away to someone needy.
15 According to National Wildlife Federation, "The energy saved by one glass bottle could run your TV set for 3 hours." What can you do about this?
16 Before going to bed tonight, sit down with pencil and paper and write a note to someone thanking them for something good they did for you.
17
Man did not weave
The Web of Life
He is merely a
Strand in it.
Whatever he does
To the Web, he does
To himself.
- Chief Seattle *
18 Think about something good you haven't done for a long time and do it (ex.: water your mother's or father's garden).
19 Discuss with your family verses one and two of Psalm 24
20 In Atlanta, Georgia alone there are 500,000 people who cannot read. Read a book tonight with your family.
21 Look for one sign of spring you haven't yet noticed.
22 Write to a friend today.
23 We throw away 65 billion aluminum soda cans and 28 billion bottles and jars every year! Recycle some cans and bottles for your neighbors and family if you can.
24 Today help your parent(s) make dinner and clean up after.
25 Look outside. How many signs of life do you see?
26 Look at the seed you planted on day 4. Has it begun to sprout? A plant grows toward light. How do you grow towards Christ's light?
27 If you find yourself about to tease someone today, don't; compliment them instead.
28 Try to be more sensitive and understanding to someone who is difficult to get along with.
29 Do a good deed for someone today.
30 Think of a person you dislike in school. Think of something nice to say to her/him today and say it.
31 By the time the average person graduates from high school, s/he has spent 15,000 hours watching television versus 11,000 hours learning in the classroom. Instead of watching television tonight, play a game with your family.
32 Do a favor for your brother, sister, or parent today.
33 Every day 10,000 people die because they do not have enough to eat. Just spend a little time praying giving thanks for all the things God has given you.
34 When you wake up, stretch and try to do two sit-ups.
35 Write a letter to your congressperson about the environment or some other concern you have.
36 Design and create an Easter card to give to an older friend or relative who lives alone.
37 Think of a person who is lonely and spend some time visiting with him/her today.
38 Why did Christ die for us?
39 At least half a million people in Somalia (Africa) have virtually no food or shelter. Tonight write down three ways in which you are blessed.
40 Remember that Easter is more than candy and presents.
* It is not our intention to exclude anyone. Therefore, we have changed the wording of the quote used in day 5. Unfortunately, changing the wording of the selection for day 17 would have made it difficult to follow so we have left it as is.
The authors, who were 11 and 13 years-old at the time organized an environmental action group for children in their town.
©Creative Commons (originally Alternatives for Simple Living)
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Pahe updated 5 Jan. 2014
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