Good evening.
This is a kids embodiment prayer of examine.
First we'll do an examine or a short review of the day and then we will do a body scan.
And if you hear any snoring in the background,
It is my dog,
Widget,
Who loves to sit at my feet while I talk to you.
So now it's time to get comfy,
Get tucked in your bed,
Pull your blankets over,
Settle in,
Wiggle and move your body,
And then come to a place of stillness.
Let's take one deep breath in and out together.
Widget is also taking a deep breath in and out.
Let's do it one more time and with this one we'll open our mouth up wide and exhale with a wide open mouth.
Ready?
Ahhhhhhhhhh.
Sometimes that can even cause you to yawn.
Now close your eyes.
We're going to do an examine,
Which is just a fancy way to say a review of your day.
It's a way of looking back over the day and asking God to help us see what he sees.
So imagine all that you did today.
Where did you go?
What did you do?
Now ask the Holy Spirit to help you to see what happened in your day that drew you close to the heart of God.
Was there anything that pulled you away?
Was there any hard parts of your day?
Now I want you to look for what we'll call bright spots.
Was there a moment that you felt unconditionally loved?
It means that someone loved you and you didn't have to earn it.
Sometimes unconditional love can come from a caregiver like your parent or grandparent,
Teacher or babysitter.
Sometimes this love comes when a friend notices and sees you for you.
Can happen in a moment with a pet or when you're laying in the sun.
It's a moment you sense the warmth of Jesus' love breaking through your ordinary day.
For a moment you feel seen and known by a loving God.
Do your day looking for these bright spots and then hold them in your mind and your heart.
When you remember those moments,
Where do you feel it in your body?
Is it a warmth in your chest and your heart?
Do you feel a little tingling right up underneath your rib cage?
Try to capture and hold that in your body.
And now let's take one more big breath.
We're going to do a body scan and it will help us feel relaxed.
But first God thank you.
Thank you for this good body that you gave us to go through our life with and help it to rest as deeply as possible so that it's restored to its fullest potential.
Now friend,
Cue into your toes.
Wiggle them a moment,
Adjust your feet and imagine as if you had a hundred pounds of sand resting on top of your feet.
Let them fall heavy.
Next imagine your legs,
Your shins and your calves.
Let them be drawn down to the earth as they too now feel heavy.
Move up to your knees,
Your thighs,
Your hamstrings,
Your hips.
Let the weight of your imagination and the gravity pull all of your legs downward,
Just feeling heavy.
Now cue into your midsection,
Your belly,
Your hips,
Below your ribs.
Take a deep breath in and relax it.
Let it become soft.
Now think about your arms,
Your shoulders,
Your forearms,
Your hands,
Your fingers,
Your palm.
Your arms did so much today.
We're going to let them rest.
Let them fall heavy as if there is weights on them and you couldn't even move them if you tried because you're so tired and they just want to rest.
Now cue into your throat and your neck.
Let that rest too.
Let any tension that you feel in your face being held in your face,
Let that relax.
Relax your eyebrows,
Your jaw,
Your cheeks,
Your tongue,
Inside your mouth and your forehead.
And while you're in total relaxation,
Remember again,
Capture again in your mind's eye that bright spot.
Look at it now as if you are able to look down upon it like you're viewing a movie being taken place and you are watching it happen and you're so grateful that you got to participate in a day where you experienced a God who loves you and shines his warmth through moments to reassure you that you are seen,
You are known,
And you are loved.
Good night.
