Motivation Monday - In Honour of our Olympic Athletes

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.  The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly.  So that his place shall never be with cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.

Theodore Roosevelt

Wednesday's Word of the Week - Vanderlei de Lima (2004 Olympics Athens)

At five feet, five inches, Vanderlei de Lima is shorter than some fifth graders. Don’t let his size fool you. The body may be small, but the heart is bigger than the Olympic Stadium in Athens. That’s where he received the 2004 bronze medal for the marathon.

He should’ve won the gold. He was leading when a deranged protester hurled himself into the runner–forcing him off course. De Lima resumed the race. But in the process he lost his rhythm, precious seconds, and his position. But he entered the stadium punching the air with his fists, both arms extended, weaving for joy!

I’m taking notes on this guy! He reminds me of another runner. Paul, the imprisoned apostle. His chains never come off. The guards never leave. He may appear to be bumped off track, but he’s actually right on target. Christ is preached. The mission is being accomplished.

Run the race!

Paul said, “I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. I Corinthians 9:23-24”

From Great Day Every Day by Max Lucado

Theme Thursday - Olympics part 3

This week we continued our Olympic theme - can't believe that its raining again!  So we're indoors again.
Round robin of 4 events (this took half an hour):

1. Volleyball - how many hits in a row before it drops to the ground - best in 5 minutes
2. Weight lifting - holding a can in each hand with arms out in line with shoulders, and for older girls do this while doing wall squats, time each girl up to a max. 5 minutes
3. Handball - same scoring as volleyball - best in 5 minutes
4. Table tennis - same scoring as volleyball - best in 5 minutes

Then had half the teams doing traditional gym routine and other half doing rhythmic gymnastics, prepare a routine which must include 4 items plus they can earn extra points for doing other items.  Prep, then performance and then the teams swapped over and did the other event.  Again another half an hour.

Our gorgeous Juniors made sock chicks for Easter - adorable

Olympics - Part 2

This weeks events - Hockey, Soccer, Gymnastic Relay, Archery, Horse-riding....with a difference.  We went down to our local school.  All events had a couple of minutes to explain and practise, then 5 minutes to get as many points for their team.

Gymnastic relay - involved a tag replay around the playground equipment.

Hockey - controlling a ball up to and around cones and back.

Soccer - shooting goals.

Archery - shooting balls through climbing mesh

Horse-riding - piggy back rides around a course.

Opening Ceremony & First Events

Now it wasn't quite as spectacular as the 'real' Olympics but we had a torch and the girls paraded in their flags and they looked spectacular!

Next we completed the first 3 events - discuss, javelin, and shotput.  To put an emphasis on the team each person threw and then the distances were added up and the team with the combined longest distance won - plus there were bonus points for team spirit.  So until the next events!

Youth Olympics

With summer starting late this year we are blessed with beautiful nights for Girls' Brigade. Lets get out there and make the most of it. Being the year of Olympics, this has inspired us to hold our own.

Girls could name their teams and make banners/flags for their countries.  Idea is to have some combined events (all girls together in their teams) and separate events (teams separate rotating around activities) each night.

Ideas so far:

• Discus - with a paper plate or frisbee
• Shotput - with a peanut or cotton wool or rolled up toilet paper
• Javelin - with a plastic straw
• Long jump - standing jump i.e. no run up
• Running - 3 legged race
• Volleyball -  Blind!  Set up the net and put the sheet over it so each team cannot see the other team and tell the kids to play volley ball. Pretty funny to see the reactions as the ball comes over the net. Also, you can have the kids stay on their knees or make them sit down to play. if inside you can use different types of balls like nerf stuff but I would not recomend balloons it does not move fast enough.
• Ideas are endless for any type of Relay's - since its summer a water transfer relay would go down well
• Frisbee golf
• Archery -  Tie up the toilet seat on a beam or a tree so that it will move if it is hit with something. Have the "athletes" stand pretty far away and try and make as many "bulls eyes", which would be throwing the toilet paper through the hole of the toilet seat as many times as they can during a certain time slot.

Traditional games that you can play without getting silly:

• Petanque / bowls
• Hockey
• Soccer
• All swimming events (try your local schools pools)
• Cycling / BMX
• Tennis

Some foodie categories that would be fun that could be run at any event:

• Blender of Doom - a bunch of gross food pureed together and each team have to eat it - play that one outside! 
• Grapes and Onions - make a large tray of jello and drop in peeled grapes and baby onions before it sets. Kids run across the yard, stick their face into the tray, grab one of the balls of food with their mouth then come back to the team and spit it into the appropriate bucket labeled onion or grape. Hilarious to see the reactions.

Devotions - discuss the values held by the Olympics
The Olympic motto is "Citius, Altius, Fortius." These Latin words mean "Swifter, Higher, Stronger." Again these can be admirable goals. A similar motto of the Christian faith would be "Faith, Hope, Love".

“Run the race with your eyes fixed on Jesus.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Should it rain:

Bible trivia quiz

Name that song - with Christian songs

+ some of the above activities can be done inside if need be