Hi Kids! Welcome to Restoration Loudoun's Kidslife online.

Today we're continuing our series on KidsLife during the pandemic, talking about arguments with our
brothers and sisters. Let's start by reading a book together. It's called "The Berenstain Bears Get in a
Fight."

Pegasus: I am so mad at my sister, I could scream!

Leader: Well, let’s try taking a deep breath instead so you can calm down. That way we can We have a
lot to learn today about how to end a sibling argument.

Pegasus: What’s an arga-mint? I like peppermint!

Leader: No, not a flavor -- it’s when we get mad at someone, like someone in our family, or they get
mad at us.

Pegasus: You mean, like my do-do bird sister!

Leader: Pegasus! First of all, I don’t think you should call your sister those kinds of names.

Pegasus: Why not? She calls me names! She calls me things that really hurt my feelings. Like the other
day she told me I was so ugly, I could go trick or treating dressed as myself.

Leader: Well, that’s not a very nice thing to say is it?

Pegasus: Nope, that’s why I told her something back. I said, “Oh yeah, well you’re so dumb that your
dog teaches YOU tricks!”

Leader: Pegasus! That’s not the way you are supposed to respond. You shouldn’t say things like that to
your sister.

Pegasus: It doesn’t matter anymore. We’re not talking to each other ever again.

Leader: Pegasus! That’s not the way families are supposed to be. We are learning in our lesson today
that God wants families to love each other and get along. Even when we do get in fights and arguments,
we have to do our part to make peace with the other person.

Pegasus: Yeah, but she’s the one who started it, not me!

Leader: Well, that may be true. But, Jesus teaches us that we should try to make peace with everyone
as much as possible. In the Bible, it says, “Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as
possible. - Romans 12:1" We can’t wait for the other person to apologize. We have to do our part and
forgive them so that the family can be put back together.

Pegasus: But, that’s hard to do. She hurt my feelings.

Leader: I know. It IS hard to do, especially when you’re spending time together so much like we are
during the lockdown right now. But, you know what? You said some things that hurt her feelings as
well. It’s time for YOU to make the first move and make peace.
Pegasus: You’re right. I should act more like Jesus, huh? He’s always ready to forgive me when I mess
up.

Leader: Now, you’re talking! I think you need to go take care of that right now, don’t you?

Pegasus: I sure do. Thanks for talking some sense into me.

Leader: That’s what I’m here for. See you later, Pegasus!

Pegasus: Bye! See ya kids! (exits)

BIBLE STORY:

Abraham’s son Isaac had a wife named Rebecca. She couldn’t have babies, so Isaac prayed to God for
her, and the Lord heard the prayer. Rebecca became pregnant with twins! While she was pregnant, the
babies fought inside her tummy. When she asked God, why is this happening?, he said, “There are two
nations inside you, and the older one will serve the younger one.”

The two babies were born, and the first was Esau: covered with red red hair. He was older and liked to
hunt in the fields. Jacob, the second one, was born holding Esau’s heel. He stayed with his mother near
the tents. One day, Jacob was cooking soup and Esau came back from hunting and reeeeeally wanted
the soup. Jacob said, “You can only have some if you give me the rights as firstborn” – because back
then, the oldest son got all the land, a special blessing from the father, and was the leader of the family
after their father died. Esau was so hungry, he said “sure, why not. Just give me some soooooup!”

Much later, Isaac was so old that he was basically blind, and he told Esau that he might die soon, so Esau
should make him a yummy meal from hunted meat and Isaac would give Esau the birthright blessing.
While Esau was out hunting, Rebecca called Jacob and told him to trick Isaac by pretending to be Esau
and steal the blessing. Jacob did, and put on Esau’s clothes and put animal fur on his arms, and carried
in some food that Rebecca cooked in the special yummy way. Isaac believed it was Esau, and gave his
blessing . . . but it was actually Jacob! When Esau got back, he went in, and Isaac said, Oh no, I already
gave away the blessing! He couldn’t take it back or anything, and Esau was maaaaad! “He tricked me
into giving away everything! When my father dies, I will kill Jacob”. So Jacob ran away, and stayed away
for years and years, only coming back when he had 4 wives and 12 sons and a whole lot of herds of his
own.

When he did come back, Jacob heard Esau was nearby. Should he ignore Esau and stay away, or should
he try to end their argument? sent a message to Esau, asking him to accept them back. He heard that
Esau was coming to meet them with 400 men. That sounded like he was going to attack! So Jacob was
scared and split his family and herds into two camps so at least one would survive. He prayed to God for
help, then sent a fabulous gift of goats and sheep and camels and cows and donkeys to Esau, sending
them ahead of him one by one so they would make Esau be more likely to accept Jacob and not kill him.
The next day, when Jacob was walking, he saw Esau coming. Instead of attacking, Esau ran up and
hugged his brother! Jacob and his wives came up and bowed down before Esau, who asked “Why did
you bring those herds?” Jacob said, “They were to please you, my master.” He was trying to make Esau
feel better about him, and say I’m sorry for stealing the blessing . . . and Esau said “No, you don’t have
to! I’ve got plenty. Keep them.” But because Jacob begged him to, Esau accepted the gift, showing that
he truly forgave Jacob and wouldn’t try to kill him.

So Jacob did some not-so-great things in this story, right? And Esau’s response wasn’t so perfect either
– God doesn’t want us to try to kill each other if we get mad, right? Of course not! What did Jacob do
right, though? He separated himself from the situation so it wouldn’t get worse, he waited until the
person he’d been mean to was calmed down, and he made it clear that he was sorry for what he did. He
asked God for help to get back on Esau’s good side, and waited for Esau to respond instead of forcing
him to answer immediately. Because sometimes it takes some work to forgive someone, doesn’t it?
And it takes work to say you’re sorry too, doesn’t it. And the last thing he did right was he stayed
humble, not yelling at Esau for being mad at him or for the wrong things Esau had done, but instead
bowing down like a servant. When you go to your brother or sister after a fight, you shouldn’t be all
snippy and yell at them; you should be humble and say “I’m sorry” or “I forgive you.” Then you can
celebrate the family being brought back together, restored.

Today’s craft is a simple one. You can either just print out this card or make a little toolbox of your own
and put in a screw, a nail, a hammer, and a screwdriver.