Black Lights, Washing Hands and Sin...Also, how I plan some lessons.

We had a fun Science Experiment today. We read a book called: 

It is a fun book about a little princess who doesn't understand why she has to wash her hands so much! After reading the book, I brought out my portable forensic black light. I explained what it was and how crime scene investigators use it to solve crimes and figure out who was in the room and such. 

Then I took the kids into the darkest closet in our house. This was a challenge in itself as most of our rooms, including closets have this little round skylights that light up the rooms. Hard when you are trying to have a room pitch dark!

Anyway, we first looked at all the clothes and saw how some glowed in the dark and were black light sensitive. Then I had them turn their backs while I put some invisible ink on my hands and put marks around the closet. They then took turns finding the fingerprints in the closet. Including some really hard ones!

Then the spiritual application: I talked about how sometimes people think that no one sees them sin. They look around, they don't see anyone. They think that the sin they are about to commit is so small that no one will notice. However, God sees and has a Son who is The Light. And just like the black light, His Light is a special light. Where His Light shines, sin becomes bright and obvious and cannot be hid. When we are sinners and God calls after our hearts, His Son/His Light shines into our hearts and makes those sins, especially the ones we thought were hidden, bright and obvious to us. There is no hiding the sin, it is there for everyone to see. Only the Blood of Jesus can wash away sin!

How I plan some lessons:

While I do plan some lessons, I don't plan them all. I didn't have this lesson all planned out. It started with me looking for a book to read to the kids. I try to find one that has to do with something I am training them in. The little ones still need coaching with hand washing, so I thought, "Why not?". Then I remembered that I had a black light in a forensics science kit that I had no opened yet. So I got the light out, tested it on myself, made sure it was working and all that. I also pulled out the little booklet that talked about what forensic scientists use black lights for and read that. When we got the the closet and we were looking for the fingerprints with the invisible ink, that was when the spiritual application hit me. I thought, "How many kids and adults think that their sin is hidden? That no one sees or cares or knows?". And the Lord brought the rest as I talked to my children about it.  My best tool: being prayed up. When I pray for my kids and how I am going to teach them, the Lord brings the lessons to me just as clear as can be. I pray that this is encouraging to you!!!