Embroidered T-Shirt. . .My Identity

We talk a lot about our identity at my church.

Today's sermon was about how we tend to forget who we are and how we need to remind ourselves constantly that we have been called to be sons and daughters of God.

That made me think back to a devotional I heard in college where the devotion leader read us Colossians 3:1-4 

"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."

She then showed us a little piece of paper that said "my life" on it and then folded it up. She pulled out another slightly larger piece of paper that said "Christ" on it and wrapped that around the first piece. Then, she pulled out a bigger piece of paper that had "God" written on it and folded that around the first two. She told us, "You need to remember that you aren't just covered once, but God has you hidden in Christ." 

I've sat through hundreds of devotionals, but I've never forgotten that one. It's only really started to make sense to me since all this talk about identity.

My identity is in God, but more than that, it's hidden in Christ. My life is hidden so that the enemy can't find it, and Christ and I are both in God so the enemy can't even come close to it. That means that I don't have to live for the things of this world that will eventually fall apart and/or be forgotten. I am dead to this world and am alive in Christ who is eternal. I need to remember who I am and who I have been set apart to be. My life is hidden with Christ in God, and I have the promise that when Christ comes back, I will appear with Him in glory.

In the meantime, I thought about this embroidery as an interesting illustration of this whole concept.

(I wish it were a little bigger, but my machine only does 4"x4".)

The End

How to Fix a Missing Rhinestone on Clothing

Okay, you know how when you go to the thrift store and find the perfect sweater or dress or shirt or whatever and there is a rhinestone missing? Yeah, I hate that.

Or like...when your shirt that you love loses a decorative stone or bead?

Before you toss it into the Goodwill pile, try this hack.

Here is a beautiful sweater I found at the Goodwill the other week. I love it. Totally my style. However. . .

Upon closer inspection, I found that it was missing a rhinestone. This must've been why the original owner discarded it, because it's way too adorable to toss otherwise.

A closer look at the missing stone's setting.

This is why I keep all my beads and baubles from past clothing items and jewelry. Fortunately, I found a pearl in my inventory that fit perfectly into the setting.

I bent the setting open so I could get the pearl into it.

This wasn't going to look right with a pearl on one side and a rhinestone on the other, so the corresponding rhinestone had to go as well.

I got two pearls of the same color and size with which to work.

Then, all I did was sew them into place!

Perfection!

You can do this on any piece of clothing that has lost something.

Go thou and do likewise.

The End!

Sunday School Craft - Easter: Resurrection Sunday - Empty Tomb with Angel

This is a good one for Easter.

Like most of my crafts, I compiled it from several Pinterest and Google sources.

You need: paper plates, cardstock, scissors, brad fasteners, glue, crayons, a hole punch, and a stapler.

First, cut the plates in half.

In half of the "halves" cut a little tomb entry. (I used the curvature of the plate as a guide.)

Then, punch holes in the plate and one of the "stones" so that they match up.

Then, staple a "tomb entry" half and a regular half plate together.

Then, fasten a stone to the tomb entry with a brad fastener.

Then, glue the bottom part of an angel like the example below.

Sorry it's sideways. But stick the angel on as though he is sitting on top of the stone when the tomb is closed.

This is what it looks like when the tomb is closed. Scroll back to the top to see when the tomb is open. (I colored the inside yellow for effect, but you can have your kids color all the pieces before you put it together for them.)

The templates:

Sunday School Craft - Lazarus, Come Forth! Tomb

Who knew a resurrected man could be so cute!

I found the graphics for this on Pinterest and Google, but the door was way too small, so I had to blow it up, and by trial and error, I got it to fit the tomb! I added the verse at the top.

You need: cardstock, brad fasteners, scissors, and crayons (except, I didn't color my example...oops.).

If you notice the last two pictures, you will see that there are two doors and only one tomb. That was to save paper. Simply print out half as many door pages as you print tombs.

First off, you need to cut out your door. Then, you will need to figure out where you want to put the fastener. I put mine halfway down on the right side of the door. Take a pen, and poke a hole through that place.

Then, hold the door up to the tomb and make a mark through the hole in the door onto the tomb.

Then, poke a hole in the tomb through that mark.

Then, put a fastener through the door. . .

. . .and also through the tomb.

Flatten the fastener on the back.

When you "roll" the door away, Lazarus can come forth!

You can have your little people color these. The kids at my church really loved this one. One little boy (my three-year-old nephew) kept saying, "Wook! Wazawus is a mummy!"

...Hey, at least he learned the name "Wazawus"!

The End!