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Meredith
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| Posted: Aug 31 2005 at 3:44pm | IP Logged
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I know as homeschooling families we always try to work on character development at different times on our faith journey and I thought I'd share something fun that worked well for our familylast year and we are going to repeat this year. We did this activity as part of our FIAR study for How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World. However, it can be done completely independently as we are doing this year.
This is taken from Galatians 5:22,23 about the "fruits of the Spirit" and it was not my original idea  , but I gleaned from a thread from the old fiaredupcatholics list. (Thanks ladies  )
The 9 Fruits of the Spirit are: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Generosity, Gentleness, Faithfulness, and Self-Control.
We drew a large apple tree on construction paper colored it and then made cut out apples with the different fruits of the spirit on them. The idea is to actively practice each of the "fruits" throughout the fall (hence the apple tree) although it could probably be done with an evergreen and pinecones for advent, but you get the idea. Last year I would add apples to the tree with whatever fruit I witnessed and would comment on how nicely everyone was doing, etc.
This year I have done the tree with each fruit and have drawn some little bushel baskets on the bottom and they are asked to try and "fill up their bushel baskets with as much good fruit as possible". I'm hoping for them to do this a little more independently of mom requesting the good behavior, so we'll see. I may also have them draw their own tree so they can put an apple sticker on it for their own notebooks.
Oh, in the middle of the tree I copied the quote from Blessed Mother Teresa:
"The fruit of silence is prayer;
the fruit of prayer is faith;
the fruit of faith is love;
the fruit of love is service;
the fruit of service is peace."
You could easily bring in a discussion of Adam and Eve, temptation and why it's important to always bear good fruit.
Hope someone might enjoy this as much as we did and I'll post anymore ideas that come from our efforts this year. Thanks again to the ladies who originally posted this, it is much appreciated 
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Meredith
Mom of 4 Sweeties
Sweetness and Light
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Erica Sanchez
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| Posted: Aug 31 2005 at 4:23pm | IP Logged
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This is a wonderful idea, Meredith! I am going to try it this Fall. My kids were just asking when we would get to go apple picking again, so I'll try to make a unit study around apples. Thank you!
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Have a beautiful and fun day!
Erica in San Diego
(dh)Cash, Emily, Grace, Nicholas, Isabella, Annie, Luke, Max, Peter, 2 little souls ++, and sweet Rose who is legally ours!
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alicegunther
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| Posted: Aug 31 2005 at 9:01pm | IP Logged
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Meredith! I absolutely love this idea! Thank you so much for sharing it.
And have fun apple picking, Erica. Years ago, we spent September doing all kinds of activities and reading books revolving around an apple theme. To this day, the kids still talk lovingly about the time we had "Apple Month"!
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Love, Alice
mother of seven!
     
Cottage Blessings
Brew yourself a cup of tea, and come for a visit!
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Marybeth
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| Posted: Aug 31 2005 at 9:54pm | IP Logged
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Meredith,
This is so beautiful!!!!
When I get my kitchen painted and a new floor (please God soon) I am getting stencils of the different Fruits of the Spirit. Your idea would be a wonderful compliment to my new kitchen...maybe this is just what I need to get my dh enthused to begin another project.
Marybeth
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alicegunther
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| Posted: Aug 31 2005 at 10:07pm | IP Logged
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Marybeth wrote:
| When I get my kitchen painted and a new floor (please God soon) I am getting stencils of the different Fruits of the Spirit. Your idea would be a wonderful compliment to my new kitchen... |
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Marybeth, please tell us more about those stencils!
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Love, Alice
mother of seven!
Cottage Blessings
Brew yourself a cup of tea, and come for a visit!
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Marybeth
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| Posted: Aug 31 2005 at 10:20pm | IP Logged
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www.wallwords.com
I am sorry I have yet to understand how to make a link!
I plan to buy them in individual colors and they just stick on the wall and can be removed if you repaint or move from your home. My girlfriend found them for me and now I have all sorts of friends hooked on the site.
I keep saying we are going to have margarita parties to just read each other's walls when we are all through decorating.
Marybeth
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Karen E.
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| Posted: Sept 07 2005 at 10:08am | IP Logged
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Meredith,
Thank you so much for the inspiration! I'm starting up a small, local Catholic homeschool group, and I've decided that our first meeting (and perhaps our theme for the whole year) will be the Fruits of the Spirit. Thank you so much for the wonderful idea and for your timing.
Btw, I referenced the CCC and the Church traditionally lists 12 fruits of the Spirit, so you can even expand a bit based on that.
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God bless,
Karen E.
mom to three on earth, and several souls in God's care
Visit my blog, with its shockingly clever title, "Karen Edmisten."
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Fruits of the Spirit
