“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” KJV of Genesis 1:1
The Bible begins this way. We have all heard this scripture so many times that we tend to gloss over the miraculous nature of the words.
Our God CREATED the heaven(s) and the earth.
In our fast-paced lives, the beauty that surrounds us seems to disappear into the background. We ignore the delicate wonder of each blade of grass or the fact that the trees in our yards grew out of tiny seeds. Everything in nature is a miracle.
PC: Ann Kirsten
My youngest grandkids came to visit this week and after we played with toys, they announced that they were bored. I typed up a quick scavenger list, handed them my phone and sent them off to the backyard to take pictures of the things they found. I customized the list to include things that I knew were in my yard, things like: Mushrooms, a potato, a flower, bugs, spider web, clover, grass, the sky and clouds.
It was fun to watch through the window and see them running around laughing and pointing out what they had found. Here are some of their pictures:
PC: Ann Kirsten
After her older brother ran around saying, “Here’s a tree, here’s a spider web,” etc., his four-year-old sister asked to use the phone. She took this one:
PC: Ann Kirsten
She said, “And here’s a Dalty!” They both thought that was hilarious, but it also brought home the fact that God made us too!
For a little while, the kids focused on the wonders that surround them every day. What a blessing that was for them. They were able to slow down and take in the tiny things that God had created.
Their pictures reminded me that I need to slow down and take in God’s creations too. I headed out later using the same rules the kids had: Backyard Only. It’s amazing how many treasures you can find in your own backyard.
PC: Ann Kirsten
I spent some wonderful quiet time wandering my yard. When did all those mushrooms pop up around the oak tree? They looked like a fairy garden.
PC: Ann Kirsten
I hadn’t even noticed that I had a second batch of raspberries on my bushes.
PC: Ann Kirsten
I looked up at the tall sunflowers that had miraculously grown from little seeds and I saw that my oak tree was producing the cutest little acorns.
PC: Ann Kirsten
Each thing I photographed was a wonder.
PC: Ann Kirsten
What an awesome God we have.
We have a couple of Checklists to get your kids started on their own Scavenger Hunt (click the image to download):
Whether you send your kids out with a list of things to find and photograph, or whether you head out yourself, I think you’ll be awakened to new and wonderful reminders of God’s creativity.
“All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” John 1:3 ESV
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Read more of Ann’s contributions to AllMomDoes here.
