For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. -Hebrews 4:12
Welcome to Family Faith and Fun Fridays!As the week winds down and I anticipate more family time over the weekend, I often ask God for one good idea that will enable me to bring the Word to life and bring our family together. Usually, the activity overflows out of something the Lord has been teaching me through His Word during the week. I’d like to invite you to join me and my family in the adventure. Sometimes I’ll post things we’ve tried; other times I’ll post an idea in the works. If you’ve got thoughts to add or suggestions on how to adapt or improve the activity, please don’t hesitate to comment.Enjoy!
Broken and Beautiful
Last week was one of those weeks that reminds us we are not in Heaven yet. A teacher we love was diagnosed with cancer, a missionary friend wrote an email describing her weariness with the inevitable struggles of daily life in a country enveloped in darkness, and my own daughter cried herself to sleep as she ached for a dear friend who has recently moved away.
The reality of life on this side of Heaven is quite simply this: IT IS BROKEN.
I believe that HOPE is one of the greatest gifts we can give our children as we walk with them through the unavoidable disappointments and pains of this world. No matter how broken life looks, God has a plan for the pieces. Nothing is so broken that it can’t be redeemed by grace. Those hands that took the nails for us on Calvary can gather the broken pieces of our lives and create something beautiful.
I’m so grateful for a Father who guides and leads us through the hard stuff of parenting. As I was praying over all the hurts that surfaced last week, God gave me a sweet image of stained glass- shards of color sculpted into glory. Inspired by that simple image, I decided to create with my kids a tangible reminder of God’s amazing ability to create beauty from brokenness.
We began with several sheets of colored tissue paper and a jelly jar. I showed the kids the full-sized paper and asked if they thought the paper would work for wrapping the jar like a gift. They agreed that it would work. We had a plan! But then I began to rip all the paper into tiny pieces.
Once we collected all the pieces in a basket, I asked, “Now how are we going to wrap up that jar?”
Shrugs and shrieks of frustration followed.
I pointed out, “Sometimes this is what happens to us, too. We have a great plan for our life – just like we had a great plan for the tissue paper- and then something happens to shred our plans. Maybe we get sick on the day we were slotted to be in the starting line
up on the basketball team. Maybe we lose a friend we’d planned to go to school with for years. Maybe we don’t get picked for the play we had auditioned to perform in. Sometimes our plans get broken.”
Then I pulled out the Modge Podge and a paint brush. “But God can take broken plans and create something new. In fact, God is in the business of taking broken people and creating something beautiful. Like this…”
I began to spread Modge Podge over the entire jar, and then we started to press the little pieces of tissue paper into a pattern on top of the glass. Once the jar was completely covered with a rainbow array of torn tissue paper, we painted a second layer of Modge Podge over the top of the tissue. The result? A beautiful jar that looked like stained glass.
Once the jar had dried, we placed a candle inside. Each time we light it, we are reminded of the hope we have in Christ, our Savior who can turn broken dreams into beautiful stories.
Inspired by our candle, Hannah decided to use the same process on a glass vase. Days later, we were able to fill the vase with cheery flowers again and deliver it to our dear friend who was recovering from surgery- a simple reminder that God has a plan to take those pieces of her battle against cancer and shape them into a beautiful story!
The Overflow:We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God’s original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, he organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body.
He was supreme in the beginning and—leading the resurrection parade—he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he’s there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is he, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross. -Colossians 1:17-19, The Message
Last week was one of those weeks that reminds us we are not in Heaven yet. A teacher we love was diagnosed with cancer, a missionary friend wrote an email describing her weariness with the inevitable struggles of daily life in a country enveloped in darkness, and my own daughter cried herself to sleep as she ached for a dear friend who has recently moved away. 
The Overflow: We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God’s original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, he organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body.
This is such a good lesson!
For me…and the kiddos!