Worship through Art… {a manger mosaic}

Soooo…she’s 6! She woke up to LOTS of balloons hanging from the ceiling…

…Krispy Creme for breakfast (her favorite…creme filled with chocolate on top! And oh my–mommy didn’t even cheat with her new gluten free restrictions!)

…Chick-fil-a for lunch and her Slopes bar-b-cue for dinner! All her favorites…complete with a pink cupcake from Gigi’s bakery!

FUNNY STORY OF THE DAY: Sooooo…at preschool today–Frank and Isaac got to go to a live nativity. They were so excited and both of them could NOT stop talking about when we picked them up at noon. We went to Chick-fil-a where a precious African American lady who worked there came to deliver some extra juice boxes we were waiting on. She walked up in the middle of the children blessing the food and when we looked up she was standing there with tears in her eyes. She was taken back by the sweetness of their prayer–and choked up she told me what a beautiful, sweet family we had. (Thankful!) I told her how the Lord had blessed us–and she said it was beautiful to see Jesus in our family. Isaac shouted, “JESUS!! I saw Jesus today!”…

The lady’s eyes got HUGE and she said, “REALLY? Oh my…ma’am you know children–I believe they can do that. Oh please tell me…what does he look like??” (She didn’t give me time to explain they were at the live nativity today before Isaac was answering her!)

Isaac said, “He was a baby! He was crying. And Mary give him a bottle!”

“OH!” she said. “That is so interesting.” THEN…Frank chimed in…

“YEAH! YEAH! And Mrs–I…I see angels!”

“OH!!! Please tell me what she looked like!” the lady said.

“Angel NOT a she. Angel is a HE. Angel is a boy. And he’s VERY BIG! And VERY tall.” At this point–the lady puts her hand over here heart and takes a deep breathe…and I’m laughing under my breath and have to stop my babies. “They went to a live nativity today!!!!!! So funny:).

And speaking of nativities…

Loo-bear LOVES art—so we had some extended art today in honor of her birthday!!! We started a manger mosaic using just torn scrapbook paper and Modge Podge…that’s IT! I always keep 16×20 canvases on hand as you never know when a budding artist will have a splurge of creativity (I get them on sale for $2.50 each and stock up).

The GREAT thing about this art–is it is fun for EVERYONE. The babies could tear the paper in bitty sizes for us. Parker and Laney could piece them back together again. And truly–it was WORSHIPFUL. We sang Christmas hymns while we painted…and we talked about how some times the messier things get–the more beautiful they can be. We talked about Jesus–and how He makes all things beautiful…even things that are torn and seem useless…

You can’t mess this up…so it’s a great confidence builder too for those who might not feel like an accomplished artist;). I used scrapbook paper that I already had (just make sure all the paper you use for your picture will at least coordinate so it’s pleasing to the eye:)…If you are color family challenged–then I recommend visiting Michael’s or Hobby Lobby and buying a booklet of scrapbook paper in a theme packet that has already been coordinated for you.

Parker and Loo-bear just working away on the night sky…(it can be whatever color you want it to be!)

Some of the scrapbook papers in this themed packet had words, polkadots and other things on different papers. We tore carefully around the word LOVE–as that is an attribute of who God is to us. We used the polkadots for stars–and we found some other things on the paper to use to…like the fun scroll we could paint on later.

We looked through some manger pictures to give us some inspiration for details…I love Joseph worshipping here…

And one of my favorite things about baby Jesus is…the green scrapbook paper I used had a crown in the background. So the swaddling clothes have a crown…a KING is born!

We’ll be adding a few more things tomorrow…Mary…another shepherd…and maybe a sheep or two. We’ll post our finished piece when we are done! I love that each child has been a part of this piece of art–another treasured keepsake that I’ll find joy in displaying every holiday.

And I’ll never want to forget it. Because as we were talking…for hours as we tore paper and pasted–Laney Loo told me she was pretty sure she had asked Jesus in her heart. We talked more and more…and she told me she wanted to pray with me. I told her if she had already asked him on her own–I was so happy and His grace covers her. She told me she would love to pray with me still…so we prayed together–and this is one of the SWEETEST birthdays and one I’ll never forget!!! This piece of art just went up in SERIOUS value for the memories it holds!!!

Oh my this Christmas season…could it get any better??!!! I told my sister today that finding out I have Lyme and some health things to get figured out has been SUCH a blessing. We live for the eternal and NOT for this world. I’m seeing ways I have failed to take care of myself–and some times even my family…by people pleasing and trying to do more than I should do. What matters MORE than anything–ALL THAT MATTERS–is how we teach, minister to and love those we have been entrusted with TO RUN THE RACE WITH PERSEVERANCE TO THE FINISH LINE OF JESUS CHRIST…running to Him. I’m not running a marathon–I’m running a relay…and my goal is to pass this baton to my children and hope they run ON THEIR OWN to Christ. A good education, a nice home, a Beaver Cleaver neighborhood, experience in sports…are all meaningless…rubble that will pass away. But OH…if they have JESUS…if they believe…if they have been loved on with the love of Jesus and their hearts overflow with passion for His will to be done in their lives…THAT–THAT is all the matters!! AMEN!? I trust Him! His ways are higher than my ways…and I hope and pray that each of my little ones…will see Him…will know Him…and will run in this life for His sake.

As the season goes by…remember in the crazy, busy…to slow down–and share Jesus every day with your children…may He fill your heart so it overflows into the lives of others. Make this Christmas about Him…in every way possible…

Blessings to you!

XOXO,

Andrea