The Jesse Tree Advent Tradition

I have an awesome job. I work for our church helping encourage families to build faith at home all through the year. But I have to be honest, there are so many great ideas and resources that cross my desk, it's almost overwhelming, especially in a season like Advent! How do we simplify the choices, and make sure the most important thing stays the most important thing (loving God with all our hearts, souls, minds and strength?) By mid-November it seems that everything gets caught up in the whirlwind of craziness that has become Americanized "Christmas." Ironically, there even seems to be an abundance of information on "reclaiming" and simplifying Christmas! Last year, our small group, which is made up of those actively parenting, chose ONE thing to focus on with building faith at home through Avent: the tradition of a Jesse Tree. Here's our story!

Step one: Set a realistic time frame! Two years ago we came across the great idea of a Jesse Tree ornament exchange. I'm not going to launch into a huge explanation of the concept here, because others have done a great job of that. We drew inspiration in particular from this blog: http://beautyandbedlam.com/jesse-tree-advent/.  We found the idea in about November, a bit late to get started. So we printed off some sweet, simple tags from this site: http://kelleighratzlaff.com/life/12-days-blog-hop-jesse-tree-advent-with-the-jesus-storybook-bible/ They go along with the Jesus Storybook Bible, a favorite resource many of us already use at home, so it was a natural way to test out the concept. We knew it wasn't realistic to plan a last minute, stress filled exchange, so we simplified! Several of us liked the idea and tradition so much, that we decided to try and organize an exchange for the next year.

Step two: Start early! We started chatting and planning in September. Yes, for some of us (ME!), it's almost painful to start making Advent plans in September, but it paid off! For the most part, we followed the model for the exchange on the Beauty and Bedlam site. On one of our small group nights, in early October, we explained the concept of the Jesse Tree ornament exchange and had those interested sign up. Most families signed up, but not all. We decided to make 18 sets of ornaments each, rather than 25. Several families volunteered to make more than one type of ornament, so we didn't need to end up with 25 kits. We set the exchange night for mid-November. Since there are 25 days of ornaments to use through Advent, ornament kits needed to be in people's hands before December 1. The result? Well, we had so much fun with the project, I just had to share it here!

A few of our ornament artists!

Step three: Plan a fun exchange! The night of the exchange, we set up two long tables, to set ornaments on. We had people bring their ornaments already packaged in plastic baggies with the scripture cards, which one of our amazing friends prepared and distributed in advance. Each family brought them in some type of container so all those little bags wouldn't slide around everywhere, and laid them out in day order, 1-25.

Friends set out their ornaments

I brought in a few small Christmas trees from home, and set them up near the tables. To pass out the ornaments, we had each family, starting with Day 1, present their ornament to the group and read one of the scriptures associated with their day.

Our ornament tables, days 1-25

For example, the Day 1 family showed us the cool globe they made and read Genesis 1:1 to the group. We then passed around the bowl holding the corresponding ornaments around the circle, each family taking one for their kit, and putting it in a larger bag. Most larger bags were as fancy as a plastic shopping bag.  We also hung one ornament on the little trees up front, and watched the collection grow through the evening. It actually felt a bit like Christmas morning- reading scripture and passing around special gifts! Lots of "oohs" and "aahs" as we checked out each other's unique creations. Since our group has a little too much fun sometimes, we made it through most of the scripture readings, but were pressed a bit for time to get it all done in under an hour.  However, I think we all got a good taste of what the tradition is about. We chose to keep our exchange night adults only, but kids could also be a part of the process. We wanted the surprise of opening each ornament with the kids to happen at home.

We set up our ornament days to go along with the readings in this book:

The Advent Jesse Tree book cover

Although the kits are complete with the scripture cards included with the ornaments, if families want to delve deeper with a devotional reading for each day, this book is an excellent resource. It has daily reading options for adults, or families with children.

Since not every day was taken, one friend prepared simple paper ornaments for those days. If families want to take on the project of completing that day with something more artistic in the future, they can. Otherwise, the simple paper ornaments will work well. We may update our slingshot and lion and lamb this year. One of our daughters loves to make just about anything (including animals) on her Rainbow Loom. We'll see what we come up with. One thing we emphasized: ornaments are meant to be special, not perfect! In fact, we encouraged families to work on them together, so many were crafted with kids along with their parents. Here are our creations!

Day 1: The Light in Creation (a globe or picture of the earth)

Day 2: The First Sin (an apple and a snake wrapped around it)

Day 3: Inside the Ark (an ark with a rainbow)

Day 4: The Call to Abram (a camel and a tent)

Day 5: Isaac and the Lamb (a lamb)

Day 6: Jacob's Ladder (a ladder)

Day 7: Joseph's Coat of Many Colors (a colorful coat)

Day 8: Moses and the Ten Commandments (a tablet with ten numbers)

Day 9: Canaan, the Promised Land of Blessings (a cluster of grapes)

Day 10: Ruth and Boaz (a sheaf of wheat)

Day 11: King David (a slingshot)

Day 12: Josiah Finds the Law (a scroll or Bible)

Day 13: Prophecy of Shoot from the Stump of Jesse (a stump with fresh shoot or green leaf)

Day 14: Prophecy of the Lion and Lamb Resting Together (lion and lamb)

Day 15: Prophecy of the Prince of Peace (a dove and a crown)

Day 16: Prophecy of a Gentle Shepherd (a lamb and a shepherd's staff)

Day 17: Prophecy of the Suffering Servant (a cross)

Day 18: Prophecy of the New Covenant (a heart with writing on it)

Day 19: Prophecy of Bethlehem (a Bethlehem town silhouette with star)

Day 20: The Exile (a fiery furnace)

Day 21: The Return to the Land (a brick wall)

Day 22: The Star (a star)

Day 23: The Light of the World (a candle or light)

Day 24: Angels Proclaiming the Coming of Christ (an angel)

Day 25: The Birth of Jesus (a baby in a manger or nativity scene)

Step Four: Enjoy the celebration of Advent at home! Each family took their kit home and went through them each day in December leading up to Christmas.....well, at least they aspired to go through them each day. At our house we had a few "cluster" days to catch up on ones we missed! We hung our ornaments in a special section of our normal Christmas tree, but there are many ways to display them. As with the ornaments, you're only limited by your imagination!

This year we're already looking forward to Advent and continuing this new Jesse Tree tradition. For our family and those in our church, it's become a special way to wait and prepare for the celebration of Christ's birth at Christmas! I hope we've inspired you, as you think about your own traditions. 

Enough? Bright blue Reeboks and M&Ms

What's the first thing you remember WANTING- not needing- but WANTING something more than what you had?

For me, the year was 6th grade.  What I desperately wanted:

White Reebok "princess sneakers"

White Reebok "princess sneakers" (yes, they really were called that.) White leather, pale pink lining: perfection. "All" the girls had them and as the quiet girl on the fringes, I wanted them so I would fit in with the crowd just as much as I wanted them because they were cute.

What my kind-hearted and frugal mom bought me:

"Bright blue" Reebok sneakers

"Bright Blue" (yes, they really were called that) Reebok sneakers. They were on sale for a few dollars less than the princess style, so she snatched up the deal. Part of me was really grateful- they were super comfy and probably the most expensive shoes I'd owned up to that point. BUT there was no "fitting in" with those shoes. The other 6th grade girls started making fun of them from day 1. Were they "enough?" Yes- more than. Was I content? Not really.

This fall in Faithful Families we've been reading "The Gift of Enough: Raising Grateful Kids in a Culture of Excess" by Marianne Miller. http://www.christianbook.com/enough

The Gift of Enough by Marianne Miller book cover

We've been talking about the power we have as parents to instill in our children the strength to combat today's materialistic culture with hearts of gratitude. If you're older than your mid-twenties, remember the peer pressure of your youth? Take that, and now add to it the constant "always on" comparison pressure from digital access and social media that today's generation of kids and teens face. As those who care about the next generation, our wisdom and encouragement is needed now more than ever!

Although we know we live in a culture that idolizes excess, this is not a new issue. Paul writes in Philippians 4, "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength." He knew it was human nature to be discontent. As Christians, we know that there is no true contentment in this world apart from a life in Christ. However, we live in a world that tells us there is not true contentment apart from our stuff.

We're enjoying this book because the author, who has experience as a mom, financial counselor with Crown Financial Ministries, and has worked with teenagers in middle schools for many years, shares nuggets of practical wisdom she's learned along the way. 

She suggests a simple exercise to help us and our children understand the concept of "enough." Imagine with me a continuum which goes from SCARCITY to ENOUGH to ABUNDANCE to TOO MUCH. She contends that if we fail to understand and teach enough, we can't expect an appreciation of abundance. 

Pile of M&M candy

If I told you that you could eat as many M&Ms as you wanted, which pile would you choose? There are four choices: 

Scarcity-Enough-Abundance-Too Much illustrated in M&Ms

Which did you choose? Would you feel grateful to receive that amount of candy? Why? Take a look at the pile labeled "too much." What might happen if you ate that all at once? I can tell you from personal experience, there is definately such a thing as "too much" grape pop. Let's just say that after about 3 cans straight at a family reunion as a kid, I haven't touched the stuff since. Too much is never good for the person who gets too much. Sadly, the news headlines today are dominated with the story of yet another materially wealthy celebrity who has self-destructed as the result of too much. 

So many of us really don't understand the concept of "enough," which means when we receive abundance we're not overly excited or grateful about it. Back to my shoes- my mom thought she was giving me abundance- name brand sneakers! I struggled to see it that way because they weren't exactly what I wanted.

Imagine I'm sitting next to you in church right now. If I leaned over and handed you a couple of M&Ms would you be happy about it? Sure! It would be an unexpected surprise! In this situation, where a sweet treat is unexpected, it would feel as good as getting a giant pile! Our expectations in situations impacts our happiness. This basic lesson can lead into a much broader conversation about observing the people around us and whether they're content with what they have or always wanting more. Where does our identity come from- our stuff, or our position as a child of God? 

One final suggestion. Try out the word "enough" at home this week. Maybe it means thinking through the meaning of enough in one simple area of your own life- enough T-shirts, enough time watching TV or gaming, enough eating out. If you have kids, use it in conversation. "One brownie is enough." "You have enough stuffed animals." Help set reasonable expectations.

If this is a challenge (and it probably will be!), remember Paul's words: "I can do all this through him who gives me strength."

What's an area of your life that could use some defining of enough? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

The Good News Is....

Have you heard these statements before?

"50% of all marriages end in divorce."

"The divorce rate within the church is no different than that of the general public."

"Marriage is HARD."

These so-called facts paint a pretty bleak picture of the state of marriage in our society. No wonder so many people are discouraged and giving up on the idea of healthy marriage relationships. The GOOD news is, those statistics are faulty.

Book cover for "The Good News About Marriage"

Last week several of us had the privilege of hearing Harvard graduate, analyst and author Shaunti Feldhahn speak at the D6 Conference on family ministry. She brought a message about restoring HOPE in relationships based on her social research. Her book titled The Good News About Marriage goes into detail about her findings. You can find it here: http://www.christianbook.com/

Over 12 years of research, Shaunti has discovered that one common denominator in whether a marriage survives or fails- or whether a couple even gets married to begin with- is whether the couple has a sense of hope or a sense of futility.

"If a struggling couple believes 'Yeah, this is tough, but we're going to make it,' they usually do. But once people start to think otherwise, they all too soon employ the logic of futility: if the ship is going to sink anyway, why bother working hard to bail it out? That poisonous doubt- which is really about the possibility of marriage working in general- gets into our minds years before we approach the altar."

A young couple, full of of hope!

We, and our society, need to be reminded that a lifelong, abundant, joyous marriage is possible!  From her experience, here are a few things Shaunti wants you to know:

• The most depressing statistics we hear floating around about divorce (such as that ominous 50% rate) are not even close to true.  According to the census bureau, 71% of people are still married to their first spouse. The 29% who are not even includes those who were married until a spouse died. No one exactly knows the divorce rate, but in all likelihood, it is much closer to 25%. And millennials- those most scared away from marriage to bein with- have an even lower rate of divorce than their parents at the same ages. 
• Church attendance matters! The fact that you're sitting in church today, in community with other with other believers, means you're doing something to help strengthen relationships. Those who regularly attend church DO have a lower divorce rate. In her book, Shaunti goes into detail on that often quoted but misunderstood Barna research study about the rate of divorce of those in church. She later partnered with the Barna group to re-run the numbers together. They found that regular church attendance lowers the divorce rate anywhere from 25-50%.
• Happy marriages are the RULE not the EXCEPTION! We've gotten into a bad habit of using phrases like "marriage is HARD!" Think about it- that's not exactly the best advertisement for future generations, is it? The fact is, although marriages certainly have issues to work on, most people, about 80%, truly enjoy being married. Let's change the message to "Marriage takes hard work, and it's worth every bit!" 
• Little things make a big difference. Although some marriages are broken up by "big ticket" issues, such as forms of abuse or serious depression, many more are affected by misunderstanding. Two spouses who love each other but may be working hard in the wrong areas, or hurting one other without intending to. Getting help and seeking to make seemingly minor changes can have a big impact. 
• Commitment is powerful. If couples stick together through the tough times, 80% report being happy together 5 years later. If you're going through a rough patch right now, that should be great news!

Jack and Alice B., my grandparents, smooching on their 50th anniversary.

No matter what you're relationship status is today, I hope that you will be encouraged. There is HOPE. A great marriage IS possible!

*The research and quotes from this article are summarized from Shaunti Feldhahn's talk at the D6 Conference on September 17, 2015 and from an article, "Restoring Hope for Marriages In the Next Generation-and the Current One!" in the D6 Conference booklet.

Love WELL

After listening to the news the past few weeks and feeling discouraged, I wrote in my journal “sometimes being a Christian feels like walking around with a broken heart." My heart hurts for others and for this world, which is in so much pain. I am reminded of how big the problems are and how small I am. Some days my prayers end with a sigh and pleading, “come, Lord Jesus”.

BUT, as believers we know that the pain here is not the end of the story, and we rejoice in that! God has already won the battle! He calls each and every one of us to play our part, to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow Him as He works in the world around us. Some days I’m still left with the lingering practical question, though, “what can I do?” to help change this hurting world?

Several years ago I heard Fred Luter, the first African-American president of the Southern Baptist Convention, speak to this issue. Although I can’t quote him exactly, here was his point:

If you want to change the world, change the nation

If you want to change the nation, change the state

If you want to change the state, change the cities,

If you want to change the cities, change the schools,

If you want to change the schools, change the homes.

Starting at home, at work, within our spheres of influence seems like the logical place.

So pause and think with me a bit today:

Who has God put in your path that needs hope?

Where can you intentionally nurture healthy relationships, or offer encouragement someone who needs it today?

What causes has God put specifically on your heart?

Dr. Wes Stafford, former President and CEO of Compassion International, whose career has brought him into contact with countless children, says that he sees every interaction he has with a child as a divine appointment. Have you ever thought about that? Something as simple as smiling at that squirming toddler strapped in a grocery cart (or maybe at the frazzled mom) as a divine appointment? Playing laser tag with a teenager? In his book Too Small to Ignore, Dr. Stafford contends that the time has come for a major paradigm shift in how we think about children. They are too intensely loved by God to be left behind or left to chance. Children belong to all of us and we are compelled to intervene on their behalf. We must invest in children- all around the world. So I challenge you now to think about the children and teenagers God has put in your path. How can you invest in them today?

Dr. Stafford says “He’s learned that “poverty and abuse speak the same language- a message that says “you don’t matter. Give up! Both are completely opposite to the wonderful message of the gospel, which says” you DO matter. You are of immeasurable value. You are deeply loved by God himself.” People of all ages and races need to hear that good news and see if lived out through God’s people- us!

Dr. Kathy Koch, a popular speaker and author on working with children says “love well the children you love” Take a moment and think about that. “LOVE WELL THE CHILDREN YOU LOVE” I think that can be applied to people of any age. Are we loving those around us WELL? What does that look like for you?  

If we did truly love others well, what difference would it make- in homes? in schools? in cities? in states, in nations? in the world? Until the time Jesus returns, I pray that he will use me to change the world by loving him and loving others of every age around me well.

Update:

I wrote these words a few weeks ago, and shared them in our service on May 8th. Maybe not your typical encouraging Mother's Day devotion, but it was what God put on my heart. I needed to go back and re-read these words today. I saw another article this morning that tore me up inside, you can find it here, http://www.aholyexperience.com/2015/05/into-iraq about the situation in Iraq. Tears were streaming down my face as I read. As a mother of two girls.... it's hard to put words to the horror. And yet there is HOPE. I'm asking God today to use me to love others however I can. Let's wage LOVE. Let's LOVE WELL!

Truth Before Opinion (a.k.a. Faith Before Facebook)

A huge unexpected blessing in our family's relationships: my husband Chad works from home. The girls and I love having him around, and he's patient with us. Through the years we've learned some ins and outs: we don't shower in the bathroom directly above his office when he's on Skype calls and he does his best to walk away from the computer at dinner time. His presence enables us to chat for a few minutes off and on through the day and sometimes he and I are able to sit down for lunch together. We both love a good intellectual discussion; current events, faith, parenting, whatever is on our minds. At the end of an especially windy lunch talk, one of us will often jokingly announce that we've just solved all the world's problems. If only! Both of us highly value quality time together, so it's been neat to see how God has used this simple pattern in our daily life to grow our marriage.

That said, as I've gotten older I've become increasingly aware that I need some space in the mornings. With kids, this can be a challenge, as I'm not an especially early riser. In my perfect world, I'd have exercised, dressed, had a quiet time and breakfast made by the time anyone else is up. Rarely are those days reality. Typically by the time the hustle and bustle of getting everyone on the bus (with healthy lunches, somewhat coordinating clothes, signed homework returned and hopefully brushed teeth) I'm ready for a bit of solitude. I've found this is the best time of day for me to curl up on the couch with my Bible to read and pray. PEACE. I need this foundation. My desire for quality time with other people will come later, but first I have to prioritize my relationship with God.

This morning as soon as the front door closed behind our children, my sweet husband was ready for an intellectual discussion. I was not. He'd been on Facebook, and had read a few opinionated articles about the hot topic of the day. A bit amped up, he was ready to dive right in. As sweetly as I could, while stirring my coffee, I said "no debates yet." But he needed to get some of it off his chest. After hearing him out for a few minutes, but really not responding beyond some head nods and smiles, he'd said his peace and wandered back to his office. After 17 years of marriage, you do learn to read your spouse's non-verbal cues. I grabbed my lukewarm coffee and headed to my spot on the couch, Bible in hand. 

Recently I've been reading through the gospels. I started with John and and am now reading Matthew. Matthew has a special place in my heart because it's the first book I studied as a Bible quizzer in 7th grade. I love reading verses I memorized 20 some years ago and still knowing them word for word. This morning I was reading Matthew 9. It chronicles Jesus healing a paralyzed man, calling Matthew to follow Him, eating with Matthew and his tax collector/sinner friends at his house, answering questions from the Pharisees about fasting, healing a bleeding woman, restoring a girl life, healing the blind and mute. Teaching, healing, drawing people to him. The end of the chapter closes with a favorite verse, which became my main prayer "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into the harvest field." (Matthew 9:38) A great reminder. The harvest was plentiful then, it's plentiful now. Our world today is certainly still in great need of healing. A 60 second review of the day's Facebook posts will quickly confirm that fact.

Not wanting my husband to feel completely abandoned from our earlier lack of conversation, I made my way down to his office. After some prayer and contemplation, I knew what I needed to say. "I need truth before opinion." At the start of the day, I want to hear from God before I hear from the rest of the world. "Wow," he said, "that's good, Honey. I get it." He shows me grace, this husband of mine.

This is by no means a new idea: beginning the day with Bible reading and conversation with God. Yet in our fast paced, always-on world, in my own life this can easily fall by the wayside. I'm not alone. Did you know that 80% of 18-44 year-olds check their smart phones within 15 minutes of waking up in the morning (http://www.adweek.com/socialtimes/smartphones/480485 )? Yikes! I saw a friend post recently, yes, most likely on Facebook, that it was her goal to crack open her Bible in the morning before opening Facebook. It resonated with me, and after this morning's conversation with my hubby, it did with him too.  I definitely want to be grounded in the truth of God's word and be reminded of the ultimate purpose for my one short life before reading the debate du jour or seeing who's invited me to play Candy Crush Saga. Even those photos of smiling friends, prayer requests and positive updates can wait.

My new challenge? Putting faith before Facebook in my daily schedule. If this makes sense to you, I challenge you to try it with me! My phone in and of itself isn't evil, but I'm all too aware of how quickly I turn it on and get sucked into distraction, sometimes even frustration. As I've matured in my faith, I've realized God has created this desire in me for some morning solitude help me prioritize quality time with Him. I can do my part by minimizing distractions, especially the digital ones! Can you relate? What distractions might God be asking you to minimize so you can hear Him first? 

Stare at God

Typically in these Faith@Home moments I share ideas, tips or resources for living out faith at home. But today I want to do something a little different….

Some from the Faithful Families small group recently started a book study called “You and Me Forever, Marriage in Light of Eternity” by Frances and Lisa Chan. I'd like to share a few thoughts from that book with you today.

We’ve quickly realized this book is different. Rather than starting off with brass tacks information about how to communicate with your spouse, or recommending more date nights, they plunge into deep waters about prioritizing our eternal relationship with the Creator of all things above our earthly relationships, even our marriages. Frances writes, “when two people are right with Him, they will be right with each other. As a pastor for over 20 years, I have come to the conclusion that most marriage problems are not really marriage problems. They are God problems”. I think this extends to all relationships, doesn’t it?

Our lack of intimacy with God causes a void that we try to fill with the frailest of substitutes. Like wealth or pleasure. Like fame or respect. Like people. Like marriage. Think of all the awards, promotions, accolades, and accomplishments you would love to receive in your lifetime. Could anything be better than one day hearing our master say, as written Matthew 25:23 “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little. I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.” That day is coming. Do we ever envision what it will be like to hear those words?

One of the solutions the Chan’s propose to changing our perspective and taking the focus off ourselves is to stare at God. I realize this is not a new concept for most of us. However, we can ALL use the reminder. When we actually stop and take time to look at Him, worship and meditate on what we know of Him, everything else fades into its proper place, including our attitudes, priorities and relationships with others. Through prayer, reading the Bible, and taking time out to just pause and ponder who we’re really talking to, we develop a healthy fear of Him and a perspective that is focused more on eternity than our temporary circumstances. Frances says, “people accuse me of going overboard in preparing for my first ten million years in eternity. In my opinion, people go overboard in worrying about their last ten years on earth.”

I don’t know where you are in your relationships today, whether things are going smoothly or you’re struggling... We all need moments in the day to stop and “stare at God” to make sure we’re not spending our time staring at lesser things. Namely, ourselves.

Chapters 4-5 of Revelation give us a picture of what worship in Heaven looks like, surrounding the throne of God. Pondering that seems a good place to start. I encourage you to go read those verses this afternoon to either learn or refresh your memory. Seeds Family Worship www.seedsfamilyworship.com is a group that takes scripture and makes it singable for all ages. I’m going to play for you their take on Revelation 7:10&12, words of praise spoken in Heaven. As we listen, let’s look at an amazing photograph of nebulae taken by the Hubble telescope. I think this photo might give us the tiniest peek of the rainbow surrounding God’s throne. As you look and listen, take a moment to gaze at God and ponder his magnificence. Also, I hope that this week as you’re tempted to think about yourself and short term circumstances- and certainly we all will be- that this will be a reminder to stop and “stare at God.”

Tangled

It’s not often that I’m tempted to steal my 9 year old’s Christmas presents, but this year she received one that captured my imagination. This art kit:

Tangle Art book cover

I put it away, but thought “hmmm…. When she pulls this out, I may have to do it with her”. Something about the way the lines graced the page, and the intricacy of the sketches really appealed to me.

Drawing was something I enjoyed doing a lot when I was younger. Really, art projects in general. As I got older, sadly, other things have crowded it out. Everyday things, like going to college and getting a job. Emptying the dishwasher, taking care of my family, work. I’ve noted in the past few years that it’s gotten harder and harder to stop and just have fun. Sometimes that fun I'm abandoning is creating. Somehow it feels frivolous, and that I should be doing something “productive” with my time. I love to travel, and I think part of that is rooted in the desire to just get away from the everyday, to truly relax and play. My everyday life is good, it really is. But I do know that I need to do a better job of allowing myself to stop and truly enjoy relaxation. For me, becoming more serious about Sabbath rest has been a great step in this direction. Stepping away from the distractions of e-mail and Facebook once a week is eye opening. To take it a step further though, sometimes I need to make the choice to just have FUN!

Enter a sick day. Our sweet 9 year old was feeling pretty puny. She’d hit that point of being sick where you’re feeling a little better, but not well, and the boredom is creeping in. Then I remembered the art kit. Ah ha! She loves art, and sketching is something we could do together. Rather than spend the time sanitizing the house, I mentally gave myself permission to have a little fun with my kiddo, and we pulled out the kit.

As soon as my perfect, fine tipped pen hit the paper, it felt like something inside was waking up. Soon I was lost in my sketch. “I love to do this!” I remembered. I know it sounds a bit strange, but doodling tiny, intricate designs has always been something I’ve enjoyed. Here was a tutorial on how to do it!

Tangle art sketch 1

And then it hit me. God created me this way, to express myself like this and find enjoyment in it. Even though it may just only ever be a fun little hobby to help me relax, it connects me to Him. I’m reading the book of John as a part of my daily devotions. This morning I came across a note about lessons we can learn from John’s life. When God changes a life he does not take away personality characteristics. Instead, He puts them to effective use in His service. I’m pretty sure He can use small things, just like this. Only He knows how!

Tangle art sketch 2

As I’m drawing, I appreciate God's creativity, His creation and care for the tiniest details in life. One way I’ve always enjoyed worshipping Him is to think about how very complicated the natural world around us is. I look at a bush in my backyard. It’s frozen now, but in a few months buds will develop and break out in beautiful pink flowers. I could spend my entire life trying to design something of equal magnitude- a “simple” backyard plant- and never be able to rival what God created. Then I think about my yard: the grass, the trees, the varieties of flowers. I couldn’t create a single one, let alone a quarter of an acre of masterpieces that somehow wake up and work in concert to bloom in perfect timing each year. I am in awe of the design that went into just what I can view from my kitchen window. Multiply that exponentially in creation and my mind is blown.  We are so, so tiny. And yet He loves us more than we can imagine.

Flower in our backyard- Chad Olson 2014

So for now, I’ve taken up drawing “tangles”. They help me relax. They help me have fun (and yes, last night I walked away from the dishes to draw a tangle)! They help me appreciate the God who planted a tiny seed of His creativity in me. 

"I'm lost without your creative spark in me" Photo from Rend Collective, Alyssa Luzaich

What seed did God plant in you that you may have forgotten about? We all have different gifts! You may be looking at the Tangle Art book thinking I’m a little crazy. My brother-in-law recently encouraged the gift of music in my sister. She’s always been talented in this area. He gave her a ukelele of all things. If someone gave me a ukelele, I’d still be staring at it. But she loves it! Her family is having a blast strumming and singing along to it together. I only have to watch a little video she recorded with her daughter to know that it makes her happy. It’s helping her relax, have fun and use her God given ability in a way only she can.

So go grab your ukelele, your felt tipped pen, or whatever it is that sparks that creativity God has put in your heart and mind. If you have to blow off several layers of dust, so be it! Let Him cultivate something beautiful in you that creates joy. After all, it reflects Him!