Grapes...

This afternoon God gave me the priveldge to teach to my kiddos something that was very cool for me. As I was making lunch (hot dogs, mac & cheese, apples and grapes), I felt as though God told me to do something! Please know that I don't have these moments often...so I am super excited about it (not super spiritual). I just want to make that clear because lots of times as I'm making lunch I'm fuming with frustration or raising my voice to someone or just not being anywhere close to hearing from God. Well, back to today at lunch...God told me to tell the kids about what He says in John 15 (about Jesus being the vine and we are the branches). I had the grapes in hand and I showed them to the kids. I said that in the Bible, Jesus talks about Jesus being the vine and we are the branches (and I pointed to the vine and then to the branches that the grapes were on). I then went on to point to the plump juicy grapes on the branches and I said (or God through me said)..."see how healthy and full these grapes are?" I then got a grape that was in the bottom of the grape bag that had fallen off of the branch. It was squishy, wrinkly and just not very full of juice. I told them "this is like what we are when we are not attached to the vine (Jesus). We are all flimsy, not healthy and we have no way to grow. We dry up to prunes. BUT, if we remain on the vine (Jesus), we are able to bear healthy fruit just like these grapes. Our lives can be full (like the grapes) and we can grow (in knowledge of God) like the grapes can grow and be fed while still on the vine!" They got it! Oh it was such a special moment. I will never forget that! I just had to say out loud, "Thank you God for speaking to me a word that I can speak to kids to help them understand YOU in a better, more "real" way"! It is funny though when I have a time such as this. Satan wants me to think that this illustration is something that is old news and not such a big deal. It might be old news to some or an illustration that pastors, teachers or even parents have used millions of times. But ya know what I say to that? It is a big deal to me because I heard from God himself. I've eaten grapes many many times and had never had that encounter before!! Satan tries to discourage us, but nope, not today!! I just had to share this today. Thanks for being patient and reading my "lengthy" blogs.