FHE
with
I Think the World is Glorious
Scripture:
Genesis 1:31
31. And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.
Song:
I Think the World is Glorious Children’s Songbook page 230
Video Clip:
Lesson:
Heavenly Father created the earth “for the benefit and use of man”. He loves us and gave us food to eat, clothes to wear, and beautiful things to see, hear and touch. Helen Keller could not see or hear the glorious things that Heavenly Father has created, but she was blessed with parents who loved her and a special teacher who would not give up on her. She learned to appreciate Heavenly Father’s creations through her sense of touch.
Do we take the time to really see and hear the things that are good that God created for us? Helen Keller’s gratitude for the goodness of God’s creations in spite of her disabilities encourages us to open our eyes and ears to the wonders of this glorious world Heavenly Father created for us.
Quote:
“To truly reverence the Creator, we must appreciate his creations. We need to plan to take time to observe the marvels of nature. All the marvels of nature are glimpses of his divine power and expressions of his love.”
M. Russell Ballard
Q&A:
Why did God create the earth? (Discuss ideas.)
How does it make you feel to know that God created everything for our benefit? (Discuss ideas.)
How did Helen Keller learn to appreciate God’s creations? (Discuss ideas.)
Why is it important for us to appreciate Heavenly Father’s creations? (Discuss ideas.)
How can we show appreciation for God’s creations? (Discuss ideas.)
What is the greatest of all God’s creations? (Discuss ideas.)
Story:
Angie’s Experiment
Angie sat the book about Helen Keller, she had just finished reading, in her lap. Closing her eyes tightly, she inhaled deeply…“Lilacs. I smell lilacs… and um … oh, what is that other smell?” Angie wondered, while absently rubbing her hand on the armrest of the chair. While she tried hard to concentrate on the smell her fingers began to explore the texture of the chair. “Oh, I know!” she said, turning and pressing her face against the back of the chair and inhaling deeply, “It’s leather.”
Angie got up from the chair with her eyes still closed and began carefully feeling her way across the room. “Oops,” she said, bumping into something. Angie bent down and felt the object with her hands. It was cold, smooth and hard. “Danny’s toy dump truck,” she concluded, before continuing her journey across the room with her eyes closed. “This is hard,” she said, tripping over what she suspected was
another one of Danny’s toys.
“Hey, watch it,” Jeremy shouted when Angie ran into him in the hallway. “What on earth are you doing?”
Angie held out her hand and touched Jeremy’s arm. “I’m sharpening my senses of touch and smell,” she said gleefully. “Can I see what your face looks like with my hands?” she asked lifting her hand towards Jeremy’s face.
“You’re weird!”
“I am not,” Angie protested, opening her eyes. “I just appreciate all the senses Heavenly Father gave me.”
“Well go appreciate your sense of smell outside,” Jeremy said. “It’s your turn to clean up after the dog. I wouldn’t try doing it with your eyes closed though if you like those shoes.”
“For your information, I’m going to practice my sense of sight. If you haven’t noticed lately the lilac bush has bloomed and the grass is lush and green and the mountains are grand!”
After finishing her chore, Angie went into the mud room to wash her hands. Closing her eyes again, she let the warm water wash over her hands. “W-A-T-E-R,” she spelled with her right hand, into her left hand using the finger spelling she had been practicing. Laughing with joy, Angie, exclaimed, “Wow, Helen Keller’s life began when she learned about water–one of the first things God created after he made
the earth!”
Turning off the water and drying her hands, Angie knew that her life would forever be fuller and filled with a greater appreciation for Heavenly Father’s creations because of Helen Keller’s amazing story.
by Margie Nauta Lee
Activity idea:
Heavenly Father Loves Me
Imagine that you couldn’t see the words in the scriptures and other books or songs. Imagine that you can’t even hear them spoken. How could you learn the words? With Braille! Use this printable activity and a pin to create Braille that your family can practice "reading".
Treat idea:
Chocolate Truffle Braille Dots
Remind children to remember to appreciate Heavenly Father’s greatest creation–them! Using the Braille alphabet chart as a guide, help children write their names in Braille with Chocolate “Braille Dots.”