Search This Blog

May 23, 2012

Crystal Keepsake Jar For Father's Day





Crystal keepsake Jar 
for Father’s Day
  • Glass jar
  • Elmer’s glue
  • Small sponge brush
  • Food coloring
  • Aluminum pie pan or paper plate
  • Epson salt
  • Colored Paper

Before you begin, add a few drops of food coloring to a half cup of Epson salt in a zip lock baggie. Carefully shake to color the salt. Let the salt set and dry for two to three hours.  It will get a little clumpy but that is what you want.  Pour some of the dry salt into an aluminum pie pan or onto a paper plate.
Thin the Elmer’s glue with one part water to one part glue.  (Or buy a bottle of Mod Podge)  Brush the glass jar with the glue mixture where you want to salt to stick.  Let the glue dry for a couple of minutes so it is tacky.  Roll the jar in the salt or sprinkle it over the glue.    Be sure to do this over a container that can catch the excess salt. Optional: We did the word DAD in white first and let it dry before adding the colored salt to the remainder of the jar.
Trace the lid of the jar onto a piece of colored paper.  Write the words, “Dad, you are the salt of the earth” on the paper.  Cut it out and glue it to the lid.  

 
Salt of the Earth Lesson

Matthew 5:13  Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

Why would the Bible compare people to salt?  In the days when there was no refrigeration, salt was very important.  In addition to making the food taste better, it kept it from spoiling.  We still use salt to improve the flavor of food and to preserve some foods such as pickles and jerky.  Salt can come from the sea or it can be mined from the ground in some places.  If the salt is not separated from the dirt and other things that are mixed with it, it is not any good.  Not only is it not good to use, if it is thrown on the ground, nothing will grow there.
So, how are we like salt?  By the way we act; we make life better for those around us.  By doing good works and sharing the gospel, we can lead others to knowing Christ.  But, if we mix that up with doing bad things, people will no longer trust us.  They will stop listening to us when we tell them about Jesus.  We are no longer helping anyone grow in Christ.
Make homemade popcorn. (Not microwave popcorn) Give each child one snack bag that has been salted and one that has not been salted.  Do not tell the children which bag has the salt.  Ask them if they can tell the difference. 
Display a bag of salted popcorn that has some dirt mixed in it.  Ask if they think anyone would enjoy eating the dirty popcorn.  Most will say no.  Ask why they would not eat it when there is good popcorn in there.  Hopefully they will realize that good things are ruined when they are mixed in with bad things.