Ta-Dah... The Completed DIY Kids Succulent Garden Projects

So a couple weeks ago I put a post up: 

Get Gardening w/ your Kids: DIY Recycled Succulent Projects

where my goal was to encourage parents to get their children playing in the dirt and planting succulents to create a work of art. I found some pretty fun recycling, eco-friendly ideas and also posted the simple steps to accomplish the container gardens. You may want to clink on the link above and check it out if you haven't seen them yet.

If you read up, you know I was making these projects with our co-op 4h club. The kiddos picked their own containers and I provided the soil and succulents. I must say the children did a FABULOUS job.

I snapped a few quick pics of my classes projects that they will hopefully be entering in the Fair this summer. The first pic is my sons old dump truck filled with rocks, dirt and succulents. Didn't he do a great job? It did shift around a little in transit from the church to our house - like the dump truck literally dumped 1/3 off the end...ugh. Nate pretty quickly got it reassembled and here is how it stands.

It is mobile on the wheels - so I need to come up with a creative way to PUT ON THE BRAKES.

Here are most of the others. A few of the kiddos ran off with their finished product before I could snap a frame. {Missing projects: One was in the cutest little cracker tin. Another one was in a galvanized tub / bin with wooden handles and finally there was an adorable one in an enameled bowl.}

The kids had a lot of fun picking the perfect placement of each plant. They took a lot of time selecting which ones they REALLY wanted to make sure they had in their pots. Paying close attention to the textures, colors, if they would hang over the edge or stand tall,  they ended up with a wonderfully finished garden pot. 

Now, they just need to give them some loving care throughout the summer with a few drops of water and some sun. By August they should have pots brimming with fully established succulents.

-Simply Sublime

Get Gardening w/ your Kids: DIY Recycled Succulent Projects

There is nothing quite as fun as digging in dirt with kiddos and planting new life. There is something I just LOVE about gardening projects for kids. Is it possibly the awe and wonder of watching something grow...sigh. Maybe it is because it reminds me of a deeply buried childhood memory of seed planting - or maybe it is because it reminds me that there is always hope for positive change. Either way I just love watching a little something turn into a BIG something BEAUTIFUL!

Miniature Robo Planter {Source:1800recycling.com}

I am teaching a class at our local Homeschool Co-op where we are completing projects we will enter into the Fair. Succulent Gardens are always some of my very favorite entries. They are so easy to plant and maintain plus there are very little limitations on uses for a container with their shallow root system.

I thought I would do some surfing and see if there were some fresh projects out there to inspire me. Here are some cute projects I found.

Recycled lids used as adorable little containers for a mini garden.

You could even place these on top of cute candle holders at varying heights.

{Source:Alannageorge.com}

The options for creativity are endless. The plants themselves have a large variety of textures & colors. From old lunch boxes to glass jars, you can use almost any container you can find. They can grow indoors or outdoors. 

Here are some recycled Spaghetti Jars. All you need is a little mirror paint and voila...a lovely recycled container.

{Source: thecrafty-woman.com}

They can look formal, or high on the funky factor.

You could use an old hollow rubber toy.

{Source: thisiswhyimbroke.com}

Succulent gardens can be used as a treasured keepsake of days gone by.

Recycled Children's shoes.

{source: finecraftguild.com}

or you could put them in boots and create some cute fence decor.

{Source: Rosy-posy}

These aren't succulents but you get the idea.

Vintage Glass Insulators:

I actually have a box of these. Super excited to use them but picturing a little added industrial elements.

{Source: livedan330.com}

Old Toy Cars: now this one is for kids and Dads!

{Source:nothingbutapigeon.com}

Old Vintage Cans & Tins

{Source:nothingbutapigeon.com}

What could be cheaper than an egg shell garden?

and the adorability factor is over the top.

{Source: SAHome Owner}

I was looking for old frames and screen projects with succulents when I mentally pictured the succulents forming just the letter of our last name with the screen showing as the background. Then I popped across this little number. I LOVE it! Still think the screen idea would be cool - plus I love old frames.

{Source: House&Fig}

So many fun options to start spinning your brain on. I bet you have something laying around your home right now that could be used...an old toy, an old shoe, a chipped cup or bowl. The possibilities are almost endless.

All you need are a few simple materials to get started:

Materials you will need:

• rocks (enough to fill container 2/3 of the way)
• succulent plants - get a variety of color, soft, spikey, flowering.
• whatever container tickles your fancy
• cactus potting soil
• spray bottle

Steps for planting:

Time to get planting...
you will want to start by adding a nice thick layer of rocks to the bottom of your container, about 2/3 of the way to the top, Once you have a nice drain field area established with your rocks you will follow by adding a nice layer of cactus potting soil on top of the rocks. It is now time to get creative... start playing around with the placement of the succulents. It doesn't take much to get theroots into the soil. Make sure you let your kiddo have some fun too. ;) 

Once you have your plants arranged with roots in place, it is a great time to give them a misty shower. These plants don't require much - just a light misting. Repeat when it begins to dry out.

I would ABSOLUTELY LOVE to see any succulent projects you have done. So please do post in the comments area.  I will be posting pics of my students gardening projects upon completion. I will also be posting a pretty fantabulous idea for a project I have spinning in my head. 

For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.-Isaiah 61:11

{If you would like to see what the kiddos came up with hop on over to the blog post I put on showing pictures.} Completed Kids Succulent Garden Projects

-Simply Sublime

A Video of Our Trip: Kibera Slum - Nairobi, Kenya

Link to Video of Our Trip to Kenya

No words needed! 

-Simply Sublime

When life knocks you down - get up and love others

We all want to finish well, don't we? If we think about the end of our lives and what people will say about us once we are gone, our hope is we will be loved, missed and appreciated. We want our lives to have stood for something great. Sometimes I think it is pretty easy to focus on the end - but what does that look like in process? We know we want to finish well - but what does our personal race look like? 

The last few weeks I had the privilege of spending time in Africa once again. This journey was designed as a vision trip with a dear friend (she is also a Pastor at my church). We were looking at what our church has been involved with in the past as far as missions and where we were headed in the future. Even though many of the contents of the trip were different than normal for me, many factors remained the same. We were exposed to extreme situations of need, pain, heartbreak and perseverance. 

We met people who were starving, people with no employment, people with lifelong illness, children with no family, children with no family who are sick with AIDS. I could go on, and on, and on. It doesn't matter how many times I am exposed to these hard life circumstances, I am always broken over it. I suppose there are people out there who can see and touch such tragedy without being moved. God, however, did not  create me with the ability to remove myself emotionally from the despair. I feel it down to my core and frequently find myself brimming with tears in the moment. Later to be sobbing my night away into my pillow. Sleep is rarely something I am able to enjoy when immersed within a culture full of extreme difficulties.

On each trip God has an amazing way of directing my attention to the most broken of the broken. I can't tell you how many times I have created a heart-string  with a child, only to find out they are an orphan. Then quite commonly I will hear the even sadder news, they are an orphan who is also HIV positive. Every time I hear this I have to stop myself from immediately saying out loud to God "Are you kidding me God? Of course!" It seems part of my journey is to feel deeply for these precious ones. They are so innocent. Not one of their own decisions led to the consequence of their life circumstances. They are alone. They are persecuted and abandoned. Being HIV positive in Africa is a life sentence of being shunned and alone for life. There is no place for someone who is HIV positive unless they are lucky enough to find a support group with others who are struggling the same way. For true hope Jesus has to be at the center of their lives.

On this trip I was asked to spend some time with a group of children (in photo above) at one of the church's we visited while in Kenya. The hope was I would speak some words of encouragement into their lives. I wan't prepared in advance for this, but as one of our missionaries in Kenya always quotes to me:

"Be prepared in season, and out."

So, off I went to try and encourage the group. During our time together one girl in particular, who was sitting right next to me, kept melting my heart. Her little eyes kept looking up at me as if she was soaking up everything I was saying. I always LOVE asking children what their life dream is, and what their favorite school subject is. (Typically the answers to these two questions link together.) I really find great joy listening to them dream and encouraging these children to reach for their dreams.  This girl was actively engaging in conversation with me, almost leaning into me. She had big dreams. 

One point of our time together was for these kids to take any false names they have been called by others to God - to nail them on the cross knowing full well this is not their true identity in Christ. Then to pray to God asking for new names about who he created them to be. Little did I know at this point many of the children in our group were orphans. Like 75% of the kids. Even further from my thought process was the news I would learn in about an hours time - that the girl wrapping herself around my heart would be HIV positive with symptoms harassing her. Talk about lives that were being tagged with labels, false names, hurtful actions. These children were a prime target for the assault. 

Yet, as our time together concluded this little girl lifted her voice to heaven on my behalf. She poured out words asking God to be with me, to bless me, to love me and to protect me. She thanked God for me. 

As I said before, at the time we were meeting in the church I was not aware of her circumstances. It wasn't until we visited the Pastors home, where the children were living, that my eyes were opened and my heart broken. There she was - looking at me with sparkling eyes. The little precious had joy. She knew her creator. She was in relationship with her Abba Father. She had purpose. Despite the horrendous situation life had dealt her she could still shine for Jesus. 

To me this is the ultimate picture of running the race well. She isn't spending her days thinking about the end of her life. She is simply looking at what is right in front of her and doing her best with it. No matter how much difficulty she is knocked down with she just gets back up and brushes herself off. She moves forward in love.  I am guessing she doesn't even spend a lot of time focusing on herself. If you could have heard the sweet words she whispered as she prayed for me. It could not have been more obvious that this little girl honestly cares about others. There I was - a complete stranger - appearing to have much of what the world has to offer and this little girls caring words saw through it all. I sat there overwhelmed to the core by the loving action of this girl. 

I wonder if that was my life - in the midst of my pain and suffering - would I be able to truly have such concern for another. Or would my circumstances weigh my mind down to self-focus? If I was in physical pain, had been abandoned, and was being shunned could my heart still cry out for the cares of a stranger? Actually it would look more like this- would my heart care more for the stranger than for my own problems?

This is what running the race well looks like. This is how we end well. We put others before ourselves. We honestly care and love others in the name of Jesus, with the heart of Jesus. We can't do this ourselves. It takes Jesus in us and through us, transforming us with his love in order for us to die to self. 

Sometimes we even have to strip off things we have been using to guard and protect ourselves. In the photo below many of those racing in the Sports Ministry Day relay in Kenya took off their shoes to get a better grip, better traction on the ground. They needed their feet set firmly on the foundation to move forward at their best. They wanted to run the race unhindered. 

I wonder what we might be hanging onto in our lives that we believe is protecting us but in fact is really hindering us from running the race well.

PRIDE - REPUTATION - IMAGE - MONEY 

FEAR - FALSE BELIEFS - INSECURITY 

My prayer is that I will never forget the prayer of this precious girl. That I will remember to ask God to reveal anything in me that hinders me from running the race well.  As I go through life I know God will continue to reveal new areas in my life that need to change in order for me to become more like him - but that I will have a willing heart to change on a day by day basis...for the sake of LOVING OTHERS well. If I can focus on loving others well,day to day, there is no doubt at the end there will be victory. However, if I only focus on the end I will miss out on what is right in front of me and fall flat on my face. 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. -Hebrews 12:1

-Simply Sublime 

Deposits of Love: restoring the hope in the hearts of the people

Boy - oh - boy were the last two weeks packed to the brim with heart tugs, tears and laughter.  It is almost as if  I am so packed with heart-string moments I am uncertain of what to unpack & process first. So let me start chronologically with: Day One on African soil. 

My morning was filled to overflowing with a collection of thoughts, concerns and worries. It was like I was on a teeter totter. One minute I was giving God complete access to use me, the other I was trying to get my feet back on the ground so I could jump off and run back to the USA. I will share more about this opening scene of my day in a post to follow.  For now (just so you get an idea of what led to what) I will tell you that I had been asked by the CTK Kenya National Director to prepare to give a Word of Encouragement to the church we were visiting. This would require me actually being able to walk up by myself in front of a crowd and speak words that would not only appear to have been thought out, but also would be a blessing to the congregation. HA! (more to come later)

After church it was time to head to a community area in the vicinity of the church where we spent our morning. The church was putting on a Sports Ministry Outreach Event where Volleyball, Races, Music and Dancing were taking place at the heart of the neighborhood.

As the bustle of activity was swirling around me God continued to point out the children to me. They were everywhere watching.

My eyes began scanning my surroundings and I noticed the abundance of children within this community. As the activities continued to go on, more and more children were coming out to participate. Put a kiddo near me and my eyes will shift towards them - it is hard for me not to watch their every move. 

 It is as if they have invisible strings attached to me and they spin me around to get my full attention.

See the little girl in the ruffley white dress pictured above - she had captured my attention. I followed her as she walked around the field a bit - soon as she became bored of what the bare dirt field had to offer she headed to the trash pile. 

First she was alone entertaining herself as she plucked and dug through the trash. It was captivating her. Not long after, one by one, friends came to join her. Despite the filth and the danger that lurked she was absorbed by the wonder of it all. So much to look at and interact with, especially the fire.

Every move these little precious kids made reminded me of just how important the call is for us, as the generation they are watching. The call to change the future. The call to deposit seeds of hope into our children so that the trash does not seem like their only option... and when I say "OUR" children, I mean ALL children.

As this young girl directed her steps towards the trash pile I wanted to stop her, tell her "NO...you might get dirty, cut or burned."  

This picture reminded me so much of God's heart for us. We begin our trek into the trash pile and he begins to send us warning signals showing us his heart for us. We frequently find ourselves ignoring the warning signals and continuing on in the pursuit of our own goal. As we begin to step into troubled waters we sense we should not be alone. Our deep need is really to be walking side by side with our creator but that would require turning back - so instead we call out to our friends. "Join me... this will be fun." Somehow we believe it is not as dangerous if we are not alone. Or maybe it keeps our minds and ears distracted from hearing the convicting warning calls of God. 

In many cases the belief is he will be angry - or he will stop us from fun - or stop us from our desire. Oh - we are so human, so silly. He knows us, he created us for a purpose - His purpose. Only that, His purpose, is truly fulfilling deep down into our soul. Nothing, absolutely nothing else will satisfy.

I wonder, for those of us who have found ourselves at some point surrounded by the mess and destruction, what could have stopped us from heading towards the trash pile? I think if we had our eyes watching people eagerly seeking Jesus, and modeling the joy that comes from being deep in relationship with him, it could have looked differently. Nothing on this planet looks as appealing as someone who has found great JOY in their relationship with God. It exudes enthusiasm, peace, love, passion, and purpose. It stands out from the crowd. It lives a life of no regrets. Others are drawn to it. It is unexplainable really. 

You see it and you want it. 

If we truly want to see change in our lives, and the lives of the children watching us, it has to come through Jesus. This change doesn't happen by saying some magic words in the form of a prayer.  This change comes about by knowing who it is you are talking to (God), knowing who He says you are, and having a real relationship with him. It is all about the relationship. When we have a close relationship with him all of a sudden we are becoming transformed. Step by step we begin our journey toward living a life full of reconciliation, peace, patience, love, wonder and joy. 

It is exciting as we learn that submitting our lives to God simply means trusting in His plan for us vs. trusting ourselves to know what is best for us. For me this feels freeing. When I truly relinquish my method of doing life and am willing to follow His lead, all of a sudden I am filled with an internal enthusiasm I can't explain. The thought of doing something outside of my comfort zone but within God's will and plan for me leaves me eager to see HIM doing the work through me. Don't get me wrong, I certainly have a long history of situations where I am fearful and unwilling to follow his lead. When this happens I know most assuredly that I have missed out on something great.  Something deep inside of me almost pains me - it is like a deep, aching, disappointing groan. I know that if I would have only listened and been willing to follow his lead I would have fulfilled my purpose in that moment. Oh, the joy of listening, following and moving in his will is so much more rewarding then backing away in fear. 

If we really want to keep the next generation from heading into the trash pile we have to show them a JOY-FULL life. They must see the real life relationship we have in Christ in action. The children must begin at a young age interacting with God; listening to him, talking to him, following his lead.  It is the BEST thing in this world! He is real and he is near. He is talking and he is listening. He is leading and he is trustworthy. His plan for us is exciting and he equips us with himself to accomplish his plan. He gets the glory when we seek and follow Him. 

Children are watching. Children model what they see. Let's choose to seek God with our whole heart. Ask him to reveal himself BIG so we can be completely in love with him. As we live our lives eager to follow our trusting Father God  the children will also be eager to seek him.  The trash is only appealing when you can't see the true treasure waiting for you. Let's not waste any more time going through life dull and without direction. Let's live our lives with purpose. The children are watching - the children will follow. 

To truly restore hope in the hearts of people they must see the Deposit of God's love in our daily lives. This is a continual action. Not a one time prayer but a present active participle type of life following Jesus. This kind of living can't help but keep our eyes focused on the treasure and away from the trash. 

"The very credentials these people are waving around as something special, I’m tearing up and throwing out with the trash—along with everything else I used to take credit for. And why? Because of Christ. Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I’ve dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him. I didn’t want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ—God’s righteousness." - Philippians 3:7-9

-Simply Sublime 

Thanksgiving & Remembrance

Look at these precious faces. Look deep into their eyes. They are just babies really - still so young in years but as you can see their eyes reflect a depth that usually comes with age, with life experience, with pain. These children know pain...every single one of them. 

They know very well the pain of hunger,

 the pain of loss, the pain of abuse. 

Safety for them means making it through a night where their family has not been pillaged in the dark of night. Home really means shelter: a rusty metal roof over a one room shanty with no running water or electricity. 

Food is sometimes, if fortunate enough,  the possibility of a meal once a day. What is a meal? Maybe - rice and beans. It can also mean a cup of chai (tea). They are hungry. In most cases (as graphic as this is) the worms in their little tummies get the majority of the nourishment they consume.

I have had the honor of wrapping my arms around these sweet children. I still cannot believe God has given me the opportunity to be in their presence and experience the joy they have despite circumstance. They may or may not remember me...but I...

I REMEMBER them!

As I am preparing to spend a day with my family rejoicing over God's bounty He has given us: 

a land of opportunity

a family of LOVE,        a  Safe HOME,

Freedom of Religion, and so much more.. 

I simply cannot be blind to what I have witnessed, to what my hands have touched. My heart aches for them. Don't get me wrong - I am not ungrateful. I appreciate and love most things about the land God planted me on - I am equally as humbled wondering why me? Why was I born in the US where we have an abundance of resources and help? Why God do these children suffer so? How can I appreciate what I have been given knowing I did not earn it, when these children work so very hard for so little reward.

Some things just can't be answered this side of heaven. I know deep in my heart I can totally TRUST my ABBA Father. He knows ALL - and my limited vision is short sighted the majority of the time. When the weight of their reality is settling heavily on my heart & mind I will continue to cling to him. I am often reminded when my heart breaks for what breaks His, well... it is then that He is pleased with me. 

So as spoiled as I will feel sitting down at a feast at our Thanksgiving Table, as undeserving as I honestly am to be placed in the land of opportunity - I will take all of that and see what God can do with it. He is in the business of restoring the ugly into the B E A U T I F U L. He, no doubt, will use my internal chaos and refine it into something pure. For that I am... 

TRULY THANKFUL.

Isaiah 61:1-7 The Message

^1-7 The Spirit of God, the Master, is on me
    because God anointed me.
He sent me to preach good news to the poor,
    heal the heartbroken,
Announce freedom to all captives,
    pardon all prisoners.
God sent me to announce the year of his grace—
    a celebration of God’s destruction of our enemies—
    and to comfort all who mourn,
To care for the needs of all who mourn in Zion,
    give them bouquets of roses instead of ashes,
Messages of joy instead of news of doom,
    a praising heart instead of a languid spirit.
Rename them “Oaks of Righteousness”
    planted by God to display his glory.
They’ll rebuild the old ruins,
    raise a new city out of the wreckage.
They’ll start over on the ruined cities,
    take the rubble left behind and make it new.
You’ll hire outsiders to herd your flocks
    and foreigners to work your fields,
But you’ll have the title “Priests of God,”
    honored as ministers of our God.
You’ll feast on the bounty of nations,
    you’ll bask in their glory.
Because you got a double dose of trouble
    and more than your share of contempt,
Your inheritance in the land will be doubled
    and your joy go on forever.

-Simply SUBLIME