Valentine Friendship Bracelets

Most children have either given or received a friendship bracelet—where they get one charm and their best friend gets the other. They’ll be making Valentine bracelets, but this time Jesus will get the second charm in a magical ceremony.

Materials:

• White craft foam sheets
• Red ribbon
• Beads or sequins
• Hole punch
• Scissors
• Glue
• Ruler
• Self-stick Velcro tabs
• Bottle with a cork or tightly screwing lid

Introduction:

We often spend Valentine’s Day giving candy and love gifts to others. But how about Jesus? He is our best friend, whether we’re thinking of him like that or not! Today, we’ll make friendship bracelets—the type where you have one charm and your best friend gets the other. We’re going to give half our charms as a love offering to Jesus.

Instructions:

1. Cut a piece of craft foam 3/4 x 7 inches for band.

2. Place band around the wrist to size, leaving about one inch of overlap. Cut off any extra length.

3. Use a ruler to mark a line down the center of the band.

4. Use the line as a guide and then use hole punch to punch holes about 3/4 of an inch apart on the line.

5. Cut a piece of the red ribbon a little longer than the band.

6. Weave the red ribbon through the holes. Wrap and glue the ends of the ribbon to the back side of the bracelet.

7. Make heart shapes and/or flower shapes from red construction paper. Glue one to the center of the bracelet. Keep the second one separate.

8. Place self- stick Velcro to ends of the band.

Conclusion:

I know of a little girl who wanted to give Jesus a rose once on Valentine’s Day. She left it in a bush in the back yard and told Jesus that she loved Him and to please come and take it. Well, guess what? The next day when she came back, and it was gone!

Some say the wind blew it...but the little girl knew Jesus had something to do with it not being there. Jesus is like that. Our best gift to Him is our good behavior and our love for him.

Everyone has an extra charm that matches the one on your bracelet. I’m going to pass the “Jesus bottle” around. Everyone put your extra charms in. When the basket gets to you and you put your charm in, tell Jesus one reason that you love Him.

Do it yourself first as this can be an awkward assignment for kids, who are used to hearing how much Jesus loves them, but may not be used to thinking of themselves as a partner in a love relationship.

Here’s an example:

Jesus, I love the way that I can sense Your presence every time I think of You. I love how You are always near and how You love it when I speak to You. I enjoy our conversations and can’t wait to see You someday. In the meantime here is my love charm. I am wearing the other on a bracelet to show my love for You. Please take yours up to heaven. I’m sure You have a lot of jewelry up there, but this is a gift from me because I love You so I hope You can wear it. 

Screw the top tightly on the bottle. You can do some amazing little ceremonies with the bottle, or you can simply tell the children what you are going to do with it.

Here are some ideas:

• If you live near a large body of water, you can throw it into the surf.
• If you live near a mountain, you can throw it over the side.
• If you live near a forest, you can bury it.
• If you live in a city, you can leave it in an alley, where it will be safe and nobody will step on it, or you can line the charms up individually outside a window ledge that is windy.
• If you live on a farm, you can release the charms individually onto a field and let the wind carry them.
• You can put the charms in a helium balloon and send it off to heaven.

Rest assured—and assure your children—that Jesus heard and that He will come and take away His gifts when the time is right!

Copyright 2014 Mary Kate Warner