My older daughter and I are in the midst of a huge project for school. She is a dreamer and loves to think up grand ideas for her assigned projects. I indulge her as I long to be crafty but have limited talent. And, I have to admit I do love to help her with the projects. The latest project is the Annual Elementary School Potato Decorating Contest.
Trust me, it's more complicated than you think. These kids go all out to decorate a potato. Yes, that's right. A potato. Last year, we used felt to make a simple Irish girl. Some cutting here. A little bit of glue there. Yarn for the hair. Glue gun burn on my finger. And, it was complete. She won a second place ribbon. It was our first potato and I had no idea how much work some of the older kids put into this project. So this year we are dreaming big!
This year, we are building the Great Wall of China, painting a backdrop for it, and sewing a dress for this potato. We made the dress yesterday with the help of a friend from church. It was fun to cut out the dress together. And, both of my daughters loved using the sewing machine. The adults did some of the more complicated sewing. Everyone did their part. It looks cute. Today, we start the backdrop.
This project got me thinking again about sewing, specifically the people in my life who sew. One of my spiritual mentors from childhood is a fantastic sewer. She can sew anything. She made banners for church, blankets for needy kids, Christmas ornaments, all kinds of things. It was always amazing to see what she could make. Her husband is also crafty. He could make all kinds of things out of wood. Together, they could craft just about anything.
One of the greatest things this couple made were not craft projects though. It was the relationships they intentionally built with the youth of my childhood church. Each year they were mentors for a youth in the pastor's class. They took time to get to know us. I can remember lots of meals at Burger King with them where we would talk about life, church, God, and the world. It didn't matter what we talked about. The important thing was the time they spent with me and the other kids at church.
Through their actions, we learned that we were important, that God loved us, and they cared about us. Being connected to adults other than a parent is very important for the spiritual health of a child. It's vital for kids to know that they are valued by other adults. When children know they are valued and respected for who they are, it helps build their self-esteem. It gives them confidence to build other relationships. And, from a spiritual perspective, children gain healthy role models for spiritual growth.
I am thankful for the many adults in my life who helped me grow into the person I am today. I am thankful for the many adults in the lives of my children who are helping them grow in their faith and knowledge of God. While this potato project may be a lot of work, it gives me a lot of time to spend with my girl. So, thank you, Mr. Elementary School Principal for coming up with these crazy projects that give me more intentional time to spend with my daughter. For us, it's good spiritual time, too!
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