It was Sunday morning. Karen put on her best dress. She combed her hair carefully, adding a blue satin ribbon that matched her dress.
"Are you ready?" called her mother from the front porch. "It's time to go."
"Just a minute, Mom," Karen answered, "I want to tell Ted goodbye and then I'll be right out."
Karen found her big brother sitting in the living room reading the newspaper. He still had on his pajamas and robe, and was reading the sports page. As Karen entered, he let the paper drop to his lap.
"Good morning, Karen," he grinned. ''You sure look pretty today."
"Thanks, Ted." Karen returned the smile. "I wish you were coming with us to Sunday school and church. You used to go with us all the time before you went away to college."
"No, you go ahead. I'm staying home," Ted replied.
"Please, Ted . . ." Karen started.
"No, Karen," Ted interrupted. "You go your way and I'll go mine." Then he began reading the paper again.
"Which way are you going?" his little sister asked. "Today is Sunday, the day God set aside for us to worship Him."
Ted grunted, but did not answer.
Karen left after telling Ted goodbye, but the question she had asked remained with him. Which way am I going? Ted asked himself.
It had been a long time since Ted had even thought about obeying God's Commandments. He had let other things such as parties and friends and having a good time take first place in his life. He had stopped doing the things that pleased and honored God. As he thought about the way he was going, he knew that it was the wrong way.
My little sister is way ahead of me, he thought. Even though I am twelve years older than Karen, she is doing what is right and I'm not. I should be going with her to church and living the way God says we should live.
Ted bowed his head and prayed, "Dear God, I'm tired of going my own way. Please help me to go Your way."
The Ten Commandments are the instructions God gave His people on how to live in a way that would please Him. Our first lesson in this unit will deal with how we honor God, focusing on the fact that God wants to be first in our lives.
To emphasize this fact to your child, help him construct a "God First" book. Draw a large number 1 on a piece of cardboard, cut it out, and use it as a stencil. Have your child use this stencil as a guide for cutting out pictures of other things which are important in our lives - keeping in mind that nothing is more important than God. Let them look through old magazines for pictures.
When the pictures have been cut into the same number 1 shape, assemble them into a book. Make a top cover from plain construction paper and help your child write the title, "God Is First," across the front of it. Punch a hole in the top of each sheet and thread together with yarn.
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