SUMMER GIFT @ HOME
Day 2 - God's Love Takes Root and Grows in Me
Mark 4:1-9
Eco Question: What do seeds need to take root and grow?
Spiritual Questions: What are my spiritual roots?
What do I need in order to grow?
How is God's love rooted and growing in you? Consider these @ home ideas to continue reflecting on this week's Summer GiFT theme.
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Above and Below Painting
Roots stretch far and wide to anchor a tree. We don’t always see the roots, but what is below ground is often as great as what we see above ground. A tree is watered and receives its energy through the roots. We can’t see God, but it’s God who gives energy and love to us and all of creation.
Follow these instructions to create your own tree with roots!
What you need:
· Paper
· Paintbrush
· Paint
1. Fold paper in half, press and open again.
2. Make a light line along the middle of the paper (where the folded crease was).
3. Paint the lines of a tree ABOVE the line only. Make lots of branches and leaves using one or more colors.
4. Immediately after the tree is painted, fold the paper over and spread your hand over the top of the paper, pressing gently.
5. Reopen the paper, revealing a mirror image, the roots, below the canopy.
Your trees made roots, just like God’s love is rooted in us!
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Nature's Recycling: Creating Compost
1. Construct a confining perimeter at least 3’x3’x3’. A compost bin can be made out of just about anything including wooden pallets, chain link fence sections, or even a garbage can with air holes.
2. Layer 1 part green (food scraps, fresh plant matter) to 3 parts brown (dried fall leaves, dried grass).
3. Wet thoroughly and then sprinkle with water periodically.
4. Turn regularly to speed the decomposition process.
5. Compost is ready when the material is dark, crumbles easily, pieces are small and there is no odor.
What can be Composted?
· Most yard waste: grass clippings, leaves, twigs, cut vegetation
· Food scraps (no dairy or meat products)
· Coffee grounds and tea leaves
What cannot be Composted?
· Fatty foods and grease, meat, dairy products, and fish
· Synthetic products such as plastics
· Diseased plants and weeds/vegetables that product abundant seeds (they will sprout!)
· Pet or human waste
If you don’t have outdoor space for a compost bin/pile, consider a worm bin in your kitchen or laundry room! Worms such as red wigglers do extremely well in a small confined bin, will take your kitchen scraps and turn them into beautiful compost, and make excellent housemates.
Learn more with these resources:
Backyard Composting in Oklahoma
Growth Detectives
Find a 2'x2' spot in your yard to observe.
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What do you see when you take time to notice?
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What growing things do you see?
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How can taking time to stop and notice God's creation help us learn to care for it well?