Helmet, Sword, and Pumpkins

Our study of the armor of God is over. Sad face.

I think the kids enjoyed it. I know I enjoyed it 

{except for the shoes week, that was rough}.

{small} Helmets 

If I were to do this again, I would have them be bigger 

and perhaps have the face shield thing.

Swords {plus all the other gear}

Sure do look like warriors!

Totally unrelated but I'm excited about our experiment at school.

We opened a pie pumpkin on Halloween and put dirt inside.

We have over 25 sprouts and the tallest is at least 6 in.

My next step is to plant the whole thing in a big container of dirt 

so the pumpkin can decompose and the roots can push through and flourish.

Breastplate, Shoes, and Shield

We're still working in Ephesians 6:10-20.

breastplates of righteousness

gospel of peace flip flops

This particular Sunday I had a big group 

{probably because of the big announcement during the sermon} 

that was very difficult to keep focused. 

This particular combination is always so difficult. Bittersweet.

shields of faith

I'm loving our armor of God study

and very much like the small group size most weeks. 

Belt of Truth

First post in a long while... woohoo!

We are studying the armor of God in Sunday school {a.k.a. GROW}.

Here are some snapshots from Day 1: the belt of truth...

Admittedly, I'd gotten away from making lesson plans. It's kind of become like a job. However, I'm excited about our new direction. I guess I spent too much time in Genesis. I'm relieved to be in Ephesians for a while!

our memory verse for the "unit"

The kids loved putting the words in order and insisted on doing it without looking in the Bible. They did a pretty awesome job figuring it out and messed them up just so they could do it again.

I painters-taped the words to the wall for future reference.

my 3 awesome "models" showing off their belts of truth

some of our belt hangy-things

We also wrote down things we know to be true about God on our other hangy-things.

I'm excited to continue making the parts of the armor, and I'm really excited for the Sunday we put on all the armor!
 

The Battle

I did not act out of love tonight. This is the scripture that came to mind during my time in the Word...

We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched [wo]man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

Romans 7:14-25

"In your anger do not sin" (from Psalm 4:4); Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.

Ephesians 4:26-27

I pray that the Lord would continue to shape me as a woman of God. Form me. Renew my heart. Continue to show me His love, His truths.  I am so, so thankful that He loves me regardless of my nastiness.

I should be like Jonah said of the Lord, "slow to anger and abounding in love."