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Rachel May
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I'm feeling a bit remedial.
After a year of memorizing the BC with the kids so they can know what they believe, I've decided to spend a year focusing on living what we believe and building our relationship with God. My plan is to paint a tree on the wall and stick die cut apples to it. We're going to learn about the Fruits of the Holy Spirit, and then pick the apples off the tree and put them in baskets (also painted on the wall) as we put them into practice.
Soooooo, after looking up the Fruits in the BC (I can't find my CCC), I have no clue what some of them mean. 
Would you help explain them to us? Also, if you know a good read aloud to teach that fruit, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks!
Here's the list I have:
charity
joy
peace
patience
benignity
goodness
long-suffering
mildness
faith
modesty
continency
chastity
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Rachel
Thomas and Anthony (10), Maria (8), Charles (6), Cecilia (5), James (3), and Joseph (1)
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Helen
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Hi Rachel!
Fruit is the final blossoming of the tree. So, the fruits of the Holy Spirit occur after the gifts of the Holy Spirit have been practiced and cultivated.
For example, in today's world it takes all seven gifts...
Wisdom, knowledge, understanding, counsel
fortitude, piety and fear of the Lord
to bear the fruit of modesty.
Or for a parent to practice patience, one needs to turn to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit so that the fruit may be born in the soul.
Or if you are suffering a terrible trial with the seven gifts you would experience the fruit of JOY despite the trial (or maybe becuase of it.)
I think of the fruits of the Holy Spirit as not coming automatically - there seems to be extra work/grace/committment in order to see the fruits of the Holy Spirit in one's life.
Just a way to begin thinking about them 
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Mary Vitamin & Castle of the Immaculate
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Helen
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I frequently use this online, searchable
Catechism of the Catholic Church
How about "watering" the tree with the gifts of the Holy Spirit? In a watering can hold cards with the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. Each week highlight and learn about a gift of the Holy Spirit and then sprinkle the tree with the "gift" from watering can. (Leave the card pinned to the bottom of the tree.) Then watch the fruit grow bigger and bigger. (Maybe replace the apples periodically with bigger apples.) It may take some time for the apples to become "big" enough to pick and put into the "basket" (soul). But that is the reality in the spiritual life.
Cultivating the gifts will result in the fruit.
I like this series:
religion books
I use Book One most frequently. (I don't know anything about the teacher's guide.) The Ark and the Dove has the most information about the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit.
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Ave Maria!
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Mary Vitamin & Castle of the Immaculate
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MichelleW
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Helen is absolutely right that the these are "fruits" that grow as we cultivate our Faith. The list Helen posted is the one we prayed between Ascension Thursday and Pentecost, Helen do you know where that comes from? I've been curious. It is so beautiful.
The list you posted, Rachel, is from Galatians. Here is the "translation" (from English to English...)
charity=love for one another
joy
peace
patience
benignity=kindness
goodness
long-suffering=faithfulness, persevering without complaining, steadfastly clinging to God's promises
mildness=gentleness
faith
modesty=this one and the next one are about self-control
continency=self-control
As you can see all these require grace, though even those with the simplest faith can begin to grow in each of these areas.
HTH,
Michelle
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stacykay
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oohhh, I see seven blossoms on a tree with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and then adding the fruits as we work on each one....
Maybe a different fruit (like apple or orange- let my boys pick their favorite,) so each can add their "own" fruit labeled with the Fruits of the Holy Spirit? My gears are spinning...
I will stay tuned for your ideas! Especially books!
This is a great idea, Rachel!
God Bless,
Stacy in MI
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Donna Marie
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stacykay wrote:
oohhh, I see seven blossoms on a tree with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and then adding the fruits as we work on each one....
Maybe a different fruit (like apple or orange- let my boys pick their favorite,) so each can add their "own" fruit labeled with the Fruits of the Holy Spirit? My gears are spinning...
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Try a craft store for wooden fruit...add a sharpie to label it and you got it made!
God Bless!
Donna Marie from NJ
hs momma to 7dc
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God love you!
Donna Marie from NJ
hs momma to 9dc!!
Finding Elegant Simplicity
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Rachel May
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Thank you Helen and Michelle for my fruit mini-lesson. I had never thought about the connection between the gifts and the fruits before, and I really appreciate the "translation."  Now, watering can or blossoms for the "gifts", decisions decisions.... 
My idea for this came from the book Three in One a Picture of God by Joanne Marxhausen. It talks about God being like an apple and draws the analogy out. Here's a quote:
"When an apple seed is planted in the ground, the rain feeds it, and it begins to grow. When the Holy Spirit puts faith into the heart, He feeds it with God's Word and faith begins to grow. When the apple tree is grown up strong and healthy, it bears fruit: Apples. When faith is grown up strong and healthy, it bears fruit too: Joy, Kindness, Self-Control, Patience, Humility, Love, Peace, Goodness, Faithfulness."
It's from a Lutheran publisher which might account for the missing fruit?
Here are my beginnings of read aloud ideas:
long-suffering=faithfulness, persevering without complaining, steadfastly clinging to God's promises
Rough Faced Girl by Rafe Martin
It's called a Cinderella story, but to me, it's Kateri Tekakwitha, and a read aloud I haven't picked up in a long time.
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Rachel
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lapazfarm
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The book I think of when I think of steadfastness is "Horton hatches the Egg"
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us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
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momwise
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Why don't you try the FIAR Classification Chart ?
The books are not classified as Fruits, or even virtues, but looking through the Bible Supplement list as well as the Social Studies: Relationships I found lots of books classified by patience, helpfulness, generosity, etc. These could be connected to a Fruit of the Spirit.
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"If you want equal justice for all and true freedom and lasting peace, then America, defend life." JPII
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Rachel May
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Wow! Thanks, Gwen! I'm not really familiar with anything FIAR so I would have never stumbled across it on my own.
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Rachel
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Helen
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Rachel May wrote:
| Wow! Thanks, Gwen! I'm not really familiar with anything FIAR so I would have never stumbled across it on my own. |
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Rachel
If you come across any good books, would you post them here?
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Ave Maria!
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Mary Vitamin & Castle of the Immaculate
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Rachel May
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Absolutely. I'm doing my research and will be back with a list.
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Rachel
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Rachel May
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Here are the ideas I have so far:
Three in One a Picture of God by Joanne Marxhausen. It talks about God being like an apple and draws the analogy out. For an overview we are going to reread this book and talk about how fruit looks in the seed, growing on the tree, and when it's ripe, and compare that to growing in virtue.
I'm going to start on Charity this week since it's easy and I'm waiting for books to come in at the library.
I'm using
Book of Manners for Little Boys by Bob and Emilie Barnes We are going to read about being a good sport.
The Quiltmaker's Gift by Jeff Brumbeau and Gail de Marcken
Good King Wenceslas illustrated by Christopher Manson
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Rachel
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Meredith
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Rachel May wrote:
My idea for this came from the book Three in One a Picture of God by Joanne Marxhausen. It talks about God being like an apple and draws the analogy out. Here's a quote:
"When an apple seed is planted in the ground, the rain feeds it, and it begins to grow. When the Holy Spirit puts faith into the heart, He feeds it with God's Word and faith begins to grow. When the apple tree is grown up strong and healthy, it bears fruit: Apples. When faith is grown up strong and healthy, it bears fruit too: Joy, Kindness, Self-Control, Patience, Humility, Love, Peace, Goodness, Faithfulness."
It's from a Lutheran publisher which might account for the missing fruit? |
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This is beautiful Rachel May! Thanks for the book link too, I haven't seen this one before and it looks good!
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Meredith
Mom of 4 Sweeties
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Nina Murphy
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Again, I have to recommend the cute board book for little ones, 9 Fruits Alive by Mindy MacDonald---sweet little descriptions of each fruit in action---even helps me. (But then...I'm *simple*.  )
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God bless,
~~Nina
mother of 9 on earth,
and 2 yet-to-be-met
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Rachel May
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Nina, do you think it will be in the library or should I add it to my Amazon order?
Here are some I found for kindness Me and Uncle Romie by Claire Hartfield, ill by Jerome Lagarrigue
Hi, Cat! by Ezra Jack Keats
I'm finding the virtue is really in the spin....
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Rachel
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Marjorie
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Rachel,
This is a bit OT, but Me and Uncle Romie is a true story of a boy's visit to his uncle - artist Romare Bearden. We read this as part of an art study of Bearden one year and really enjoyed it. The National Gallery had a great, free teaching packet on Bearden and there are several other nice picture books illustrated by him. There are instructions/ideas for making a Bearden style collage in the back of Me and Uncle Romie and you could make kindness the subject and look for ways to illustrate how it is lived.
YIC,
Marjorie
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Nina Murphy
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Dear Rachel,
Oh no, this is VERY Christian. I doubt it. I wanted to share a paragraph from the last page. (I don't read this part to the children, but you could!)
"Apple trees and orange trees, strawberry plants and grapevines; they all grow with lots of water and sunlight and someone to take care of them. Soon they are more than just a tree or a plant or a vine. They have something growing on them. Something to give away that looks nice, tastes yummy and is good for whoever eats it. Fruit! Sometimes, in the Bible, God talks about us like we are part of a plant like that. We are planted in His heart, and when we learn more about Him, talk to Him, and love Him, His Spirit starts growing fruit in us. We can't help it! And we can't do it without the Spirit. God lovs to see fruit growing in us. What kind of fruit do you have today?"
I love this board book...I love feeling the little fruits....I am such a child.
Let me know whatever you find. I LOVE this idea as well.
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God bless,
~~Nina
mother of 9 on earth,
and 2 yet-to-be-met
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Nina Murphy
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I also want to add: in case I didn't clarify, this IS a toddler book with verse in rhyme. It is very simple with verses like this: "Self control is something you can show, by not getting angry when parents say no."
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~~Nina
mother of 9 on earth,
and 2 yet-to-be-met
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Rachel May
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Marjorie,
I thought it was a true story too, but I happened to read the note about the author. It says she created "this fictional tale" using the "basic facts and geography of Bearden's life". Too bad, because I love a true story, but fortunately, it doesn't diminish the kids' interest in it. Little Dan the Drummer Boy started us on a Civil War rabbit trail last year.
Thanks for the NGA resources. When I look at the collage directions, I get overwhelmed. I think I need to do an art day so I won't get so stressed about the mess. I think the kids would especially love doing the kindness collage you suggest and maybe send it to sick Grampa.
Nina,
The book looks great! I'm going to order it. Whenever the kids ask me how things grow I always say, "Sunshine, rain, and God's love." so that last part will be great for us.
BTW, part of why this book list is going so slowly it that I'm having a problem doing ILL. I'm not sure why.
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Rachel
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Fruits of the Holy Spirit
