If you've been reading all week, you'll notice I've decided to name each day... Friday will be Family FUN Friday...a day when I post something FUN we did as a family that week...it may be a craft or activity we tried and liked...maybe a game we played together...book we read...or outing we took. Whatever it is, Fridays will be about focused on spending time as a Family! Hopefully, posting on Fridays means you may have a new idea to try over the weekend with your kids :) This weekend we'll be celebrating Cora's 3rd birthday, "princess" style, so you in for a treat NEXT Friday!
I've found I need to be intentional in spending focused time with my kids or the chores and errands rob my "well intended" day away...so the intention here is the Quality Time spent together...not that I have a finished, polished product to post on Pinterest :) The Martha in me has to be reminded of that! My kids care more about their fingerprints being all over our time together than everything looking like it just came out of a Pottery Barn magazine. I encourage you to seek out the presence of God always...especially in messy crafts, because a Martha like me needs to remember the fruit of the day is hiding in these moments...choose to sit at His feet with your kids today...
So in that spirit...let's make some ABC Crayons!
My boys couldn't wait to peel off all the paper...
Cora chose to color instead...
Doesn't God have to peel back layers of US too sometimes?
Looks like a healthy church to me...a group of people allowing God to peel back the layers of labels, to the core of who they are...together.
Sometimes He may even want to change our shape completely...
The process can be painful...
But God never starts a process without a divine goal, and eternal purpose...
There is often so much at work in us that we cannot see...
But, He's so wise in knowing exactly what shape He wants us to take...
So purposeful in His direction for us...
There are often many more people being peeled back, cut to pieces and redirected all around us, that we may never know about....unless we share our story with them...
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| Bake at 230 degrees for 15+ minutes |
It may be a messy story...but some of the most life-changing, inspiring testimonies are just that...messy.
Someone else may need to hear your messy story to know that they don't need to fear the process of transformation...because it's only through this refining process we can be used for the glory of the One who made us...and them.
And if we all walk around polished and put together, how will they ever know how we got there?
Besides, if you look real close, you'll notice none of them is perfect...we never are while here on earth...but those engaged in the process are choosing to be transformed into the image of the One who loved so much.
Rough edges, broken limbs and all. After all...a Broken Hallelujah is a beautiful song, all of us have the chance to sing...and we are never closer to the Mighty, Saving One when we do.
Phillipians 1:6
For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
What a great idea. I always hate to throw away all those stubby old crayons. What a fun way to "redeem" the "throw-aways."
I like that! Yes...redeeming the throw-aways is a full time business around here!