Reflection:

Q. What do we use our hands for?

Q. What are some things hands can do for people – helping and giving?

Consider: Hands were never designed to cause harm to ourselves or to others. Hands are an extension of our gifts and talents into the world. Our hands are designed to serve us well and serve others well in love. In SHINE we can use the fingers on our hand to remind us of 5 important things.

1. Thumb: thumbs up symbol. Therefore represents ENCOURAGEMENT. Encourage others in love.

2. Pointy Finger: can be used to point and accuse. Therefore represents NO JUDGING. Treat others as you want to be treated.

3. Middle finger: is the tallest finger. Therefore represents RESPECT. Looking up to others and having them look up to us.

4. Ring finger: represents COMMITMENT. Committed to our values.

5. Little finger: “look after the little guy”. The little finger represents INCLUSION. Include others.

ACTIVITY: Obtain an exercise book, or staple together some blank paper. This will become your SHINE journal. Trace your hand into the book. label each finger. On a new page write the quote for this week and decorate it however you like: "I am a unique gift to the world. I will let my light shine!"

Q: What does it mean to you if you hear that something is valuable?

Consider:

Imagine you're holding a $100 note. Crinkle it up. Toss it on the floor. Step on it. Does it's value change just because it's now crumpled or dirty? It's value remains the same even if it isn’t treated with care. In the same way, no matter what happens to us, whether we have been treated well or mistreated, we have not lost value. We remain valuable because God made us and He loves us.

Activity #1

Find two beautiful trinkets (maybe jewellery or something else small). Place one trinket in a crumpled brown paper bag. Place the other trinket in a box and wrap the box with pretty paper and a beautiful ribbon to make it look extra special. Show your friends or your family the two different "gifts" and ask them which is more valuable? Which one do they tend to pick? Which one would YOU naturally tend to choose?

Consider:

Have you heard the phrase "don't judge a book by its cover?" Everyone is valuable. Both the brown paper bag AND the box contain an item that is valuable in its own unique way. In the same way, I am valuable and you are valuable, no matter what we look like on the outside. Our value comes from who we are! If we don’t think we are valuable it’s possible others won’t either so we need to think of ourselves kindly. When we compare ourselves to others we will either feel superior (I'm better than you) or inferior (I'm not good enough). Just like comparing a brown paper bag to a beautiful box when its what is inside that counts. Comparison is not healthy. We need to know our own personal value and not compare ourselves to others. God looks at the heart and so should we.

What have you learnt about your own value today?

What have you learnt about the value of others?

Activity #2

Draw a large heart in your journal. Write in it "God looks at the heart. I am valuable because He made me and He loves me."

Consider these things. A gold watch that doesn't work. A glass paper weight. A Christmas angel with a broken wing. Diamond ear-rings. An antique teapot. Which one do you think is worth the most? What if I told you they are all worth exactly the same? How could that be? The reason is they all belong to me. Each has unique worth in my eyes but for different reasons. The gold watch was a 21st gift from my parents. The glass paper weight was a gift from a student. The Christmas angel with the broken wing used to decorate my grandmother's Christmas tree. The diamond ear-rings were an anniversary gift from my husband. The antique teapot has been handed down from my great-aunty.

In the same way, YOU have worth in God's eyes because YOU are unique! The SHINE program is all about recognising the qualities YOU have and letting them SHINE out of you!

Q: What are the things that make you unique?

Activity:

On a new double page in your journals write your name in large letters across the page. Be as creative as you want. From your name, draw lines out to each of the following things that make you unique: Appearance, Family, Personality traits (what are they?), Fingerprints, Personal history, things I'm good at (what are they?), and anything else you can think of that makes you, YOU!

What makes a person strong?

Muscles make us strong on the outside but resilience is what makes us strong on the inside.

Q: What qualities do you have on the inside?

Consider:

Strength (resilience) is:

• making good decisions

• recognising our emotions

• respecting ourselves and others

• building healthy relationships

• being OK with making mistakes and learning from them

• looking for the good in all things

• asking for help when we need it

• being thankful

• knowing what we stand for

• choosing to accept and love ourselves for who we are.

Are there any statements listed that surprise you? Which one? What makes that one difficult for you?

Part of being resilient is knowing when we need to reach out for help from others. We are free to Shine brighter when we have positive supports around us. Those supports can be at home, at school, at a church youth group or in a sporting team. A positive support respects your values, encourages you, and upholds your worth as a unique individual.

Activity:

In your journals write this quote and decorate it. "I am braver than I believe, stronger than I seem, and smarter than I think."

The world we live in can try to label us, put titles on us and make us try and fit into a certain box, telling us 'This is the way to be significant, popular or successful.' In the movie Happy Feet, young Mumble's song was not singing, but tap dancing. This is what he was born to do, yet his behaviour was 'un-penguin' like. We all have a song to sing. We all have a message over our life, a reason for existence, and a purpose to our life. It's okay to not know what that is yet. You're still growing up! It's also okay to dream about what it could be!

Activity:

Open to a new double page in your journals and call it "My DREAM collage." A collage is a collection of words or pictures or photos that represent something special to you or about you. What do you dream of doing when you are older? See if you can find a picture that represents that. Do you want to work in a certain profession? Do you dream of travelling to a certain country? Do you dream of having children or writing a book or being in the Olympics? Big or small, no dream is insignificant. You may like to look for pictures in old magazines, or print pictures off Google. Cut them out and create your dream collage. Be as creative as you like!

Life is a gift. My uniqueness, my strengths, my abilities, are purposed to be a gift to to others. My life has purpose. My potential is limitless! I am valuable. I have unique worth. I was born to SHINE!