Changes to the blog

As you may have already noticed I have changed the name, back ground picture and some other things on my blog.  It has taken me a while to come up with a theme I like. :)  The idea of "Lessons from Life's Playground" comes from what I've learned about teaching children.  In school and in children's ministry we use a lot of hands on learning with the kids, because we have learned that children learn by doing-not just listening to a teacher talk.  We have also learned that, while limited to our kids these days, the importance of free play and the playground.  The playground and in free play is where children's imaginations come to life!  I have enjoyed watching and listening to the conversations of my classes over the years as they play and imagine during recess, centers, building, and free draw times.  (Those rare moments when kids can be kids.)  It is during play that children learn to share, cooperate, get along with others, dream and imagine.

That being said, I like to think of life as a big playground.  Life is the place where people learn to share, cooperate, get along with others, dream and imagine.  That is why I call my blog "Lessons from Life's Playground."  I hope that by sharing some of the things I've learned along the way, I can inspire and encourage you to share, cooperate, dream and imagine. 

Becoming a Butterfly

I once heard a message by Joyce Myers where she was talking about the process of Sanctification.  When we are saved, we are instantly justified, but we are not instantly sanctified.  That is a process that takes years, sometimes even our whole lives.  Joyce talked about this as kind of like metamorphosis.  She used the illustration of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly.  The metamorphosis taking place is truly a miracle, but it still a process, as God turns a dirty crawling bug into a big beautiful flying butterfly.

This is not unlike our lives.  When we come to Christ we are like the caterpillar, lowly, crawling, and dirty.  But then we accept the gift of Grace and the Holy Spirit comes into our heart and begins the sanctification process.  This is the cocoon.  Like, the butterfly the cocoon is where our transformation takes place.  Unlike, the butterfly we can remain in our cocoon for many many years!  Yet, even as the butterfly emerges a new and beautiful creation; we too will emerge a new and beautiful creation!

Joyce went on to explain the struggle that the butterfly endures as it changes.  And well, I don't know about you, but that certainly is representative of my Christian life.  Life with Christ isn't always easy, but it will always be worth it!

 

"being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."  Philippians 1:6

 "This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!"  2 Corinthians 5:17

 "For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."  Ephesians 2:10