Trees, Trees, and More Trees

Everywhere I look, it seems I find a tree today.  Perhaps this will help you understand a bit more:

I have spent much of my day today cutting, buying materials, and taping these trees to the walls in preparation for Sunday's children's classes at my local church.  The children are in the early stages of a series on the Fruit of the Spirit and they are getting ready to become trees bearing God's fruit!  It has actually been a lot of fun transforming their classroom for this unit.  

So no one thinks that I imagine these are masterpieces, let me share how the trees took shape.  Last week, students lay on craft paper and had their outlines drawn.  These outlines (complete with outstretched arms) became the trunks of their tree.  Tomorrow, I'll add letters to identify each child's tree.  

Over the coming weeks, students will add pieces of fruit to their tree representing the focus of that week's lesson.  This will double as an attendance chart as well.  Along the way, we'll have a few surprises as well.  I'm planning on adding birdhouses, butterflys, and other ornaments to keep the kids intrigued and coming back.

While it's a lot of fun, it's also a lot of work to put together these decorations.  I'm just thankful that I only have to do this every 3 months or so.  Needless to say, this guy can't do this as easily as he used to......so I'm dragging tonight.  Someone told me tonight that this will probably prove to be more trouble that it is worth.  I had to disagree;  the effort will be worth it all as we watch these children grow into "trees of righteousness" (Isaiah 61:3) and begin bearing the Fruit of the Spirit.