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This is the 5th lesson in the series of lessons on the 23rd Psalm. To view a list of all the lessons in this series go to the 23rd Psalm Bible Themes Page.

I am Special - Psalm 23:5
Written by Carolyn Warvel

Bible Reference:Psalm 23:5

Printable Bible Verse Cards - Print out onto card stock, write the Bible verse on the cards and make copies. (Large file or small file)

Stickers for Psalm 23:4-6 - (Large file or small file)

Teaching Concept: We are special to God. He shows us we are special by providing for our needs and giving us even more than we need.

Early Arrivals Activity

1. Color a Picture - Print out the picture (large file or small file) and have your children color it. If you want to add something more than coloring, cut a frame to cover the heart frame. Have your children glue on fun foam hearts around the picture.

"I am Special" hand print sheep craft 2. Make a Bulletin Board Display - Before class print out the "God is Our Shepherd and We are His Lambs" Title page and staple it in the middle of your bulletin board. Print out the sheep hand print sheet (large file or small file) and make copies. In class have your children place the palm of their hands in black paint and press them on the paper so that the fingertips are facing towards the bottom of the page. The fingers are the sheep's legs and the thumb is the sheep's head. After the paint dries, let your children glue cotton balls or fiberfill onto the sheep. Staple the pictures onto the bulletin board around the title page.

3. Make "My Cup Runneth Over" Craft

What you will need: Five ounce Dixie cups, paper, tape,card stock, and some kind of candy.

What to do:

1. Before class print out the sheep patterns onto white card stock and cut them out.

2. Print out the cup cover pattern onto bright colors of computer paper and cut them out.

3. In class have your children color the sheep and tape the cup cover over the Dixie cup. Tape the sheep inside the cup as shown and then let your children fill up their cups with goodies. Explain to them that the treats represent all the many things God has done for us and has given us. Each time they take out a piece of candy they should think of something that they can thank God for.

If you use this craft for the Bible Verse Review Game below, don't have your children fill them up during the opening activity.

How to Print or Copy these instructions.

The Lesson

Preparation: Place a bow in Woolie's her hair and a mirror in her hand. You will also need a cup and some kind of small treats to put in the cup.

Woolie is Special

Teacher: I have invited Woolie back again this week to tell us more about the Good shepherd. Woolie where are you? Woolie? Woolie, what are you doing back there.

Sheep: (Woolie comes out holding a mirror, looking into the mirror at herself.)

Teacher: "Woolie what were you doing? Didn't you hear me calling you?" "Oh, what is this? You have a beautiful bow on your head.

Sheep: (Woolie shakes her head yes.)

Teacher: Wow, the Good shepherd must think you are very special."

Sheep: (Woolie shakes her head yes.)

As you know, we have been talking about how God is like a good shepherd. Woolie's shepherd thinks she is very special, and God, your shepherd, thinks you are very special too. He created you just the way he wanted you to be. He knew you before you were ever born.

Let's read what David wrote about this. Does anyone remember where we find Psalm 23? Have a child come up and try to find it in your Bible. The Bible tells us in the 23rd Psalm,"Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over."

In Bible times when someone invited a guest to their house they would anoint them with oil. They would put special oil on their forehead to show them that they cared about them and thought they were very important. Oil was good for the skin, it kept it from getting dried out. God shows us we are special to him by providing for our needs. He not only gives us what we need, but he gives us more than we need. He wants us to be happy. When it says, "my cup runneth over" it means that he not only fills it up but gives us so much that it runs over. He fills us with his love, peace, and happiness--so much happiness that it starts running over and spreading out and reaching others.

Sheep: (Woolie brings out a cup.)

Teacher: Thank you Woolie. Woolie has put jelly beans in this cup to show how much God has blessed her. This jelly bean represents the good food she eats, and this jelly bean represents the love her shepherd showed her when he gave her the bow, and this one represents the time he rescued her when she got stuck up on a ledge. But your cup isn't quite overflowing yet. Can we help you fill this cup?

Sheep: (Woolie shakes her head yes.)

Teacher: Remember that "my cup runneth over" means that God gives us more than we need because he loves us. He fills us with his blessings which make us happy. Let's think of things that God has done for us or things he has given us. I will put a jelly bean in this cup for each thing you think of. (Keep doing this until the cup begins to overflow. When the cup is filled up and overflowing tell the children that when God blesses us, we can't help but share those blessing with others. Give each of your children some of the things in the cup.

How to Print or Copy these instructions.

Prayer

Father, we thank you for being our Good Shepherd, for taking care of us and giving us what we need and giving us even more than we can even imagine.

Crafts and Activities

shepherd boy with sheep craft 1. Act Out the 23rd Psalm Using Props - You will need a shepherd, (shepherd boy pattern or use a puppet or use one from a nativity scene) a sheep (stuffed animal), a piece of green felt, a long strip of blue felt for "still waters", a "Right Way" sign, a "will not fear" sign, a rod and staff made from pipe cleaners, and a bow, and a cup.

Spread out the items in front of you in the order they will be used. As you repeat the 23rd Psalm, place each object on the table in front of you.

1. "The Lord is my shepherd" - Place the shepherd in front of you on a table.
2. "He makes me lie down in green pastures" - place the green felt in front of you and the sheep on top of the green felt.
3. "He leads me beside the still waters" - place the piece of blue felt on the green felt and move the sheep along the "still waters".
4. "He leads me in the paths of rightousness" - Place the sign in front and move the sheep in the direction it is pointing.
5. "He anoints my head with oil" - Touch the sheep's head with your finger.
6. "My cup runs over" - Hold up a cup full of water. You can put some blue material in it and spilling over it to look like water spilling.

After you have gone over the whole Psalm, have your children take turns trying to do it. You can also use these props to make a movie. Assign each child a part, record each child separately and then let the children watch the movie.

2. Play "My Cup Runneth Over" Relay - Divide your children up into two teams. Give each team a large spoon. Place a bowl of marbles, packing peanuts, or anything else you might have in the front of the line in between both teams. Place a cup for each team at the opposite end of the room. On the word "go" the first two children in line should scoop up some marbles onto their spoon, race down to the other end of the room and drop the marbles into their team's cup. The team who fills up their cup first and it overflows wins.

pompom sheep 3. Play a Bible Verse Review Game - Print out the cube, cut it out and tape it together. For this game you will need one of the following for each child: A pompom lamb , a 1/4" piece of green felt or paper, a , right way sign a staff made from a pipe cleaner, a bow, and a small paper cup (Use the cups from "My Cup Runneth Over" craft above. You will also need a treat such as Teddy Grahams to put in the cup.

To play have the children sit in a circle. The children take turns throwing the cube. If the "Lord is my Shepherd" picture is facing up, the child receives a little lamb. If they get the sheep laying in green pastures, the receive a piece of green felt, if they get the "right way" picture they receive a sign. If they get the "rod and staff" they receive a staff. If they get the picture of the sheep with the bow, they receive a bow. If they get the picture with the cup, they get a treat in their cup. The children should say the verse relating to the picture each time they roll the cube. If a child rolls the same picture he has already rolled, he doesn't get another object, but gets another cookie in his cup. The child who gets all the objects first wins.

How to Print or Copy these instructions.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information or storage retrieval system, except for local church or school use only. You may not copy this lesson or part of this lesson and place it on another web site even if you include the copyright notice. This copyright notice must be included on all printed copies. Requests for permission to copy this material for any other uses should be addressed to Carolyn Warvel, 588 Duran Street, Henderson, NV 89015 or e-mail me at care@daniellesplace.com

Comments

We would love to hear your comments about this lesson. If you taught this lesson, we would love to hear how it went, if you changed anything, added anything, what age you taught and was it appropriate. Any comments that would help others teach this lesson are welcome.

At Blue Baptist, we are still continuing to use and love your lessons on Psalm 23. The kids (ages 5-7) LOVE woolly!! We did the "I am Special" hand sheep craft this week and the kids enjoy that. They liked tracing their hands and see it turn into a sheep! We will be spending a couple of weeks on this topic of Psalm 23. We want the kids the really learn this verse so they will be able to rely on it for years to come. Stacy

Copyright Notice - While many of the crafts on this site are free, they are still copyrighted. They are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, except for local church, school, or home use only. The copyright notice must be included on all copies. To request permission to copy this material for any other use contact me by e-mail.