September 18-24

See & Say Similes

Biblical Text: Jeremiah 10:5
Guidelines for Individual Playdates

Value of This Activity:

Uproots us from a literalism that distances us from the text and from our own experience. Frees us to give deeper expression to our own experience and to our spiritual engagement with life.

To Begin . . .

Spend a moment in quiet prayer. If you wish, begin by freewriting for 3-5 minutes. Just let the pen empty out your concerns and thanksgiving for the day. Breathe.

How to Play . . .

1. This playdate invites you to create similes — to say them and then to draw or mentally imagine the picture you’ve created. Start by reading Jeremiah 10:5 —
   

   Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field,

   and they cannot speak;

   they have to be carried,

   for they cannot walk.

   Do not be afraid of them,

   for they cannot do evil,

   nor is it in them to do good.

2. Look at that simile in the very first line of this verse: “like scarecrows in a cucumber field.” Funny! Picture it in your mind. If you like to sketch, draw a picture of this. “Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field!”
3. Now make up some of your own similes — they can be extravagant, hilarious, on-the-mark, whatever. Have fun picturing the similes. Compare one item to another concrete item. (No fair using abstract nouns like “love” or “faith” or “relationship” or anything like that. A simile without a see-able “thing” is like a heart without an aorta. Okay, that was bad, but I’m tired.) You can make up your own topics for your similes. But if you want some ideas to trigger your crazy simile-making bash, here are some you might try:
   

   Money is like …

   A trip to see the family is like … (be honest! no one will know you said it.)

   A close friend is like …

   A political election is like …

   Paying income taxes is like …

   Waiting in line is like …

   Missing church services is like …

   Losing your cell phone is like …

Have fun with it! Turn yourself into a simile machine.

In Closing . . .

Take a moment to breathe and let the playtime settle around you. Carry your curiosity and insights and questions into the day.

Playdate Reference Material:

Guidelines for Individual Playdates
Playdates with Scripture Email ARCHIVES

Playdates with Scripture by Virginia Wiles is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at virginiawiles.com.

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