What We Have Really Learned from the Resurrection

I was standing in the hallway sorting laundry when my son, half asleep,
started talking before even opening his eyes...

"I just had the most amazing dream, Mom..."

he said as he proceeded to tell me about his dream of a

seemingly awesome,
yet impossible task

for an 11-year old to accomplish

I only listened, but he also believed...

he said

"and I know that it is possible because
I've seen people do things even harder than that"

and as I finished sorting

the laundry
his comments
my thoughts

It occurred to me...

This is the real lesson from the Resurrection!

Jesus died and rose again

a seemingly awesome,
yet impossible task

but when we embrace His Gospel

His death
His burial
His resurrection

with

our death (repentance)
our burial (water baptism)
our resurrection (the indwelling of His Spirit)

we come to understand that through Him we can also accomplish the seemingly impossible
we come to understand that what we have really learned from the Resurrection

is that

when life knocks you down...

get up

when friends

doubt you...
betray you...
deny you...

get up

and even if your enemies

capture you...
beat you...
and surround to watch as you slowly die...

look to heaven
pray their forgiveness
close your eyes to rest a while

and then...

GET UP!

"APFLH" Children's Art Studio... Adult Session

Last month I cancelled our

children's art studio session...

 

The reason?

 

I was asked to present a play-inspired workshop for a group

of Early Childhood Educators in the Los Angeles area!!

 

So I... 

 

put a closed sign on our door

packed up my materials

and took the show on the road!

 



Resource and Idea Table

Dramatic Play

w/ Asian inspired restaurant props and
chopsticks (for fine motor development)

 

inspired by the book...

"Lion Dancer"

by Kate Waters and Madeline Slovenz-Low

Play Dough Monster Creations

Homemade Play Dough (not pictured)

Play Dough tools

 

inspired by the book...

"Go Away Big Green Monster"

by Ed Emberley


Dinosaur Babies

Repurposed Box- (with a trash bag liner)
Bird Seed- (used as a substitute for sand)

Cups for scooping

Toy Dinosaurs

 

inspired by the read-along...

"Dinosaur Babies"

by Lucille Recht Penner

The Music Box

Paint Dot Art on Paper Towels

and a...

"Things that Grow"

Food Collage

Grocery store ads or cooking magazines

Play Dough scissors

Construction Paper

Glue

 

inspired by the book...

"Growing Vegetable Soup"

by Lois Ehlert
 

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My take-away message is always to...

 

keep it "hands-on"

follow the children's lead

and learn to use what you have!

 

These repurposed school fundraiser boxes for...

 

Before...

 

 

After...

 

Marble Painting/Waffle Ball Painting

Marbles or Waffle Balls- (depending on the ages of the children)

Box- (repurposed box or small pencil box)

Paper

Paint

 

inspired by the story...

"Little Blue and Little Yellow"

by Leo Lionni

 

 ----------------------------------

I have found that not only do I enjoy inspiring children,

 I also enjoy inspiring the adults who work with them

 

The best way to make a difference in the world

is through the life of a child!

Up next...

"Bubbles"

Get Naked (A Mature Thought)

I had gone to the mall alone with my two babies...

one in pull-ups
one in diapers

one with a sippy-cup
one with a bottle

both asleep

and strapped safely into their double-stroller

My dilemma?

I had to use the bathroom...
and it could NOT wait until I got home

So I did what I had to do...

I pushed my double stroller into the restroom
entered the stall
pulled my sleeping babies in as close as possible
and proceeded to use the bathroom

...with the door wide open!

Complete strangers walked by, noticing, and no one said a word

I had never imagined that becoming a mother would change my perspective so much, but in that moment, my children's safety was more important than my pride

Mothers do what they have to do...

and several years later, as my cousin prepared for the birth of her first child
I remembered that day

and shared with her my thought,
that for mothers,

perhaps the real purpose of delivery
is to deliver you

from the burden of what other people

say
do
think

because once you're a parent, you can't let those things move you

Your body

changes
grows
stretches beyond recognition

and then

just when you think you've had enough you must find new strength to

release
push and
deliver

that which has grown

And so using the bathroom with the door open is brought into perspective, because after all,

Nobody gives birth fully clothed...

you have to first get naked!

Once to conceive
and again
to deliver

And in that very act
of getting naked

lies the vulnerability
the humility
the gracefulness

that opens the door to intimacy

Our Lord showed us that as He allowed them to

strip Him
torture Him
mock Him

as He willingly bore the shame

to deliver me
to rescue me

because in that moment my safety was more important than His pride

His act of

vulnerability
humility
humanity

opened the door to our intimacy...

And when we fully realize this

we have no other choice but to come to Him

sincerely
respectfully
repent fully

and allow our hearts to get naked before Him

knowing that He

sees it all
flaws and all

and loves us anyway
and has taken away all of that shame

since He...
when He...

decided to first
get naked

ONE mistake... FOUR weeks of fun!

Becoming a mother and early childhood educator has allowed me to reconnect to the childlike persistence and resilience that we so often have to fight for as adults.  The night I spilled cornmeal became a defining moment in my personal and professional journey as I learned to see more.  And although it has been almost two years since that lesson, I continue to see more (from the creation of a "Who Spilled the Cornmeal?" child development workshop, to an article proposal for an online child care publication that has been accepted,) my message to you is...

"Don't allow one mistake to keep you floored

Get up and use THAT to make something beautiful"

Please read the entire original post here

to discover how one mistake led to four weeks of fun!

The activities for the first three days included using our sensory table for...

Cornmeal and funnels

Beans and Cornmeal

Cornmeal racetrack

On days four and five the children enjoyed...

Cornmeal and colored sand art

Cornmeal tracing 

During week 2 we introduced...

Cornmeal and rainbow rice

Cornmeal maracas

Blindfold sensory game

Cornmeal sand castles

Cornmeal textured painting

Click here to read the interesting thing that happened

during week 3 when we made cornmeal play dough

and finally click here for week 4 activities and a video... 

Cornmeal letter search

Cornmeal goop

Play dough sensory pie

Cornmeal and shaving cream

We had such a great time making the most of one mistake, but we

know that there are even more activities that we could have done!

How would you have used the spilled cornmeal?

Sharing this over at No Time For Flash Cards and also at
Living Well Spending Less for the 1-year anniversary of Thrifty Thursday! 

"APFLH" Children's Art Studio- The Art of Love

My children were excited when I told them we were hosting a special
Valentine's Crafts and Kid's Movie Night

We moved the couches, brought in the tables and chairs from the

Children's Art Studio, and provided everyone with materials

to create cards and crafts to share with the people they love... 

Heart Art 

We watched a movie about believing in the impossible
and just as the movie was ending

my mother called to inform me that my younger cousin was visiting from Texas,
and my aunt was on her way to my house so that she could say "hello"

As I waited for them, I began to think about...

my cousins
my family
my children

and all of the moments we have shared in this house

I remembered that
she was actually one of my first "child care students"

 

when I babysat her and her older sisters the summer of 1990

and NOW she travels with a company performing stage plays for children 
because she says it combines two of her greatest loves... art and children

It was the perfect full circle moment!

The next day another one of my former students

and her mom came by for...

Marble Painting

The perfect culminating moment to this weekend experience came when

the mom asked her 4 yr. old daughter if she was ready to leave my house 

and

without looking up

without blinking 

without hesitation

she calmly answered...

"NEVER!"

and I smiled
realizing that my life's

work
passion
purpose

is still

and will always be

right here

UP NEXT...

Seuss inspired experiences

A Lesson in Love... Don't Miss the Bus

He ran with a limp

It looked

quite painful to be honest

quite odd

until I actually saw the object of his affection...

the city bus

And he would have to cross two lanes of traffic to get there

with no guarantee that the bus driver would even wait for him

but he was

willing to risk it

willing to run

with arms waving and a noticeable limp, not caring who saw his desperation because...

his purpose was greater than his pride

And amazingly enough the world around him stopped moving

as drivers and street pedestrians alike paused

silently cheering

watching

praying

"C'mon, you can make it.  You can make it"

and when he finally did

there was a collective sigh of relief because

he had conquered what so many of us often

avoid

fear

and that is allowing others to see

our limp

our vulnerability

our weakness

We would much rather just wait for the next bus

than to put ourselves out there like that

But in life we must be willing to... 

say it

show it

give it

live it

BECAUSE... 

we cannot truly live, unless we are willing to love, and

we cannot truly love, unless we are willing to run

across lanes of traffic during the middle of the day

arms waving

limping awkwardly toward our goal

eyes filled with desperation...

and hope

as others stop to

watch

cheer

(or maybe even laugh and point)

We cannot truly celebrate love

unless we are willing to put ourselves out there like that, but

today I was reminded by a total stranger that...

It is okay to run with a limp

as long as you also run with a purpose!

Click to read...

A Child's Lesson in Graffiti

Remembering the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

February is

"The Month of Love"

and in addition to Valentine's Day

in our home we also celebrate...

my hubby's birthday

my mother's birthday

our wedding anniversary

all within a matter of two weeks!

So...

we take pictures

we document

we talk about

and revisit

the moments that

have made us

laugh

cry

scream

and everything else in-between because

We celebrate by remembering...

that our greatest lessons in love

have come from learning to see the beauty

within these everyday moments

My hubby created this chocolate surprise for our anniversary

a few years ago, and we loved it so much that the following year

I decided to bring out the fountain again for his birthday...

Only problem?

I didn't watch the fountain

and...

the chocolate exploded

and...

splattered all over

the table

the tray

the floor

the curtains

the wall

the door

(no, this isn't Dr. Seuss)

But then...

as we were cleaning "the mess" one of the children

pointed out the design that had been created

so we decided to set the tray out as it was,

and some of the guests actually thought

the chocolate drizzle was intentional...

a "Jackson Pollock" art inspired dessert tray!

and I realized that sometimes...

mistakes can be beautiful

and

that we

honor our love

celebrate our love

share our love

when we remember

the true story...

the full story...

the entire story...

which includes

the good

the bad

and even

everything else

in-between