How We Spend Our Time

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the Morality module in 6th grade is to identify a few of the ways in which we may be conformed to this world and learn ways to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. We conform to this world when we follow others. We are transformed by the renewing of our minds when we take a stand for what we know is right.

MEMORY VERSE

Memory Verse: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind..." (Romans 12:2)

See alternate verses in Holy Scripture section below.

INTRODUCTION & HOOK - 10 Minutes

Please review the previous week's lesson.

For this lesson, the following materials will be needed for the Discussion and Activity sections:

  • Glass jars or other clear containers
  • Sand
  • Two sets of rocks/pebbles - Large and small (please ensure that the larger rocks will fit in the jars)

To start the lesson, have the students play "Would You Rather?" using the following questions:

Would you rather...

  • Be imprisoned for over 2 years or be swallowed by a whale?
  • Face Goliath with only a stone and a slingshot or wander in the desert for 40 years?
  • Live as long as Methuselah (969 years) or as long as Jesus (33 years)?
  • Have God add 15 years to your life or be carried to heaven in a chariot of fire?
  • Sit at the feet of Jesus while he teaches, or prepare supper for Jesus and the disciples in the kitchen?

What do all of these questions have in common? (Answer: they all have a time component)

In what way does the last question (Sit at the feet of Jesus while he teaches, or prepare supper for Jesus and the disciples in the kitchen?) relate to "time"?

Just like these questions, we are all given choices for how we will spend our time. When I wake up in the morning, I am given two options: "Would I rather get up right now? Or would I rather spend more time in bed?" (Ask: What would happen if I chose to get up immediately? What would happen if I spent more time in bed?) After I finish playing one round of a video game, I have two options: "Would I rather spend my time playing another round? Or would I rather spend my time doing something else, i.e. homework?" (Ask: What would happen if I chose to play another round? What would happen if I chose to start homework?) We can not do any activity without having the time to do it. This means that our time is valuable

HOLY SCRIPTURE - 5 Minutes

KEY VERSES ABOUT TIME

"So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." - Psalm 90:12

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing..." - Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end." - Ecclesiastes 3:11

CONTENT (KEY POINTS) - 10 Minutes

Time matters.

Let's read a story about how two women spent their time in Luke 10:38-42

38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me" 41 "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed---or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Ask: What was the difference between Mary and Martha?

The difference between the two is that Mary spent time with Jesus, and Martha spent time serving Jesus. Reiterate to the students that serving Christ is important, and good, and ultimately stems from the relationship we cultivate with Him.

Jesus was at the home of Mary and Martha. While He came to visit, Martha was in another room. While Martha was doing something noble--making food for Jesus and being a good "host," something that is culturally and socially acceptable, she misused her time.

Ask: Have we ever spent our time on something unimportant? Maybe it wasn't bad, but it was unimportant?

For example, is playing a sport bad? Is playing a video game bad? Is cooking in the kitchen, like Martha was doing, bad? No. But there was a better way she could spend her time--with Jesus.

An important part of spending time with Jesus is that we make sure that our mind and our thoughts are present with God. For example,

Have you ever been to church (action), but while you were standing there you were thinking about what you're going to do with your friend later? Maybe your mind was distracted.

Have you ever tried to read the Bible, but while you were reading, your mind started to think about the conversation you had with your friend earlier? Maybe your mind wandered.

Because your mind and thoughts were thinking about something else, your focus wasn't on the Divine Liturgy or what you were reading in the Bible. Just like Martha. She was in the same house as Jesus (i.e. you were in church), but she wasn't actually spending time with Him.

Remember last week, we discussed the pure in heart and we said that they would "see" God. We used the example of going to your grandparents' house for Thanksgiving, you may tell your friends that you are going to see your grandma and grandpa. You don't mean that you are going to go over to their house and stare at them across the table. You mean you are going to interact with them, talk with them and laugh with them and hug them. That is the type of interaction we want to have when we spend time with him.

We want to talk with Him through prayer. We want to laugh with Him by sharing our joy and gratitude for Him.

DISCUSSION (Challenge) - 15 Minutes

Earlier in the class, we created a list of activities that we spend our time on throughout the day. Let's revisit the list so we can identify the most important tasks that we engage in throughout the day (irrespective of length of time).

In preparation for our upcoming activity, hand everyone one big rock and several small rocks. The servant will have an empty jar or bucket (preferably see-through), and another jar or bucket filled with sand.

Explain: The big rocks symbolize the things that are the most important in your day, activities that contribute to spiritual growth. The small rocks represent important activities that contribute to physical, mental, and emotional growth. And the sand represents the less important activities that we engage in mindlessly or for fun.

Based on these definitions, ask the class to note "big rock," "little rock," or "sand" next to each activity they wrote down.

Step 1: Identify your Big Rocks.

Most important, priority items that contribute to spiritual growth

  • Agpeya
  • Prayer
  • Bible
  • Divine Liturgy and communion
  • Memorizing verses

Step 2: Identify your pebbles.

Very important, items that contribute to physical, mental, emotional growth.

  • Exercising/sports
  • Homework
  • Practicing your instrument/sport
  • Going to school
  • Self-care activities (Activities that help the student feel calm and emotionally regulated)

Step 3: Identify your sand.

Sand is usually things that distract you and take away your ability to focus and be productive.

  • Video games
  • Phone/social media
  • YouTube/TV
  • Remind the students that even though these are "sand" activities, that they will still "fit" in the bucket.

ACTIVITY - 10 minutes

Demonstration:

Our time is like these rocks. Show the children an assortment of big rocks, little rocks, and sand.

If you start filling the jar by first by adding sand, then small rocks, you will not have room for the big rocks.

Hand each student one big rock, several little rocks, and have a big bucket of sand. Have each student write down one important activity to engage in throughout the day/week/month with God (i.e. daily prayer, daily reading the bible, weekly attendance of the liturgy/weekly communion, monthly confession). Explain to the students that we have written our Priority activities on the big rocks.

First, take the empty bucket and begin to slowly fill it with sand. As you pour sand, little by little, read off some of the little rock activities that the students came up with during the activity at the start of class. After filling ¾ of the bucket with sand, begin filling the bucket with little rocks. With each little rock, mention the little rock activities that the students came up with during the activity at the start of class. Now, make sure that there is very little room left at the top of the bucket and ask the students to try to fit the big rocks on top. Have a few of the big rocks fit, but make sure there isn't enough room on top to make all the big rocks fit.

If you don't put the big rocks in the bucket first, they won't fit in later.

When we fill our time with the little things that are not important, we leave little time to take care of the things that actually matter.

Put differently, you need to schedule the big, important things first, then fill in the remaining time gaps with less important and less urgent tasks.

Redo the activity going in reverse order. Begin by putting all of the big rocks first, then the little rocks, then end with the sand. What you'll notice is that when putting the big rocks in first, everything else fits.

LIFE APPLICATION - 10 Minutes

After identifying your "big rocks," this week, create a SMART Goal for what your time with God will look like.

  • S=specific
  • M=measurable
  • A=attainable
  • R=relevant
  • T=time-bound

If your goal is to "spend more time with God," we want to figure out how we can create a goal that is specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-specific.

Here is an unrelated example so that we create the goal for the student:

The Goal we're starting with: I want to start exercising.

  • Specific: (what will you specifically do?) I will run around my backyard/block
  • Measurable: (number of days/hours/minutes; which days?) I will do it 1 time per day, 4 times per week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday) for 4 weeks
  • Attainable: (we want to set ourselves up for success) Yes
  • Relevant: (are the specific and measurable components conducive to reaching the overall goal?) Yes
  • Time-bound: (what time? before/after what activity? How long will this last?) I will run at 3pm after finishing my homework for the 4 weeks previously specified

The new goal: I will run around my backyard/block at 3pm on M, W, F, and Sa for 4 weeks.

Homework assignment: Create a SMART goal for your priority goals (see attached template).

SERVANT RESOURCES

  • SMART Goals Template Attached

PARENTS CORNER/HOMEWORK

Parents should help students create a SMART Goal for their big rock goals that they would like to add/maintain in their current schedule.

Challenge: Time is a finite resource and it's one of the most valuable things we have at our disposal. This activity focuses on helping students think about how they actually use their time in a normal week, and identify places they might be able to improve.

Ask: What does a typical day look like for you? What kinds of things do you spend time on throughout the day? I.e. social media, video games, time watching tv, time doing homework

Give each student a sheet of paper and something to write with. Remind them there are 24 hours in a day, and you want them to document how they spend their time on a "normal" day. (Some students may say that every day is different, so have them choose a normal school day, whatever that means for them). If students are having a difficult time thinking this through, invite them to choose a weekday from the previous week and chart what they did on that day.

Remind them to include every activity they do in a normal day, things such as:

  • sleeping
  • meals
  • time in class
  • time at before/after school activities
  • time studying
  • time on social media
  • time watching tv/streaming/etc.
  • time with friends
  • exercise
  • time in prayer/Bible study/serving the community
  • anything/everything else

Beside each activity they list they should write down how many minutes/hours a day they do this activity. Give them around 5-7 minutes to do this, and ask them to write down how many hours & minutes their activities totaled.

After they are done, ask the group:

  • Other than sleeping, what do you spend your most time on in the day?
  • Other than sleeping, what do you spend the second most amount of time on?
  • What % of your time is time that you get to choose how to spend it?
  • Looking at your day, how can you glorify God through the things you are required to do?
  • Looking at your day, how could you better devote your flexible time to God?