Fruits of the Spirit

Miles and I made this really great Fruit of the Spirit Apple mosaic the other day (another great idea from I Can teach my child) Turned out to be fun and easy, great fine motor activity for Miles. But honestly it turned out to be such an encouragement to ME....sure Miles enjoyed it and it's giving us a great reference point and visual in our house to go back to and talk about being gentle and kind. But I am continuously amazed at how powerful God's word is. Touching it, talking about it, writing it out, hanging it, seeing it, cutting it into little apples... there is something so neat happening when I stand at my kitchen sink and see the light come through these little apples. Much like my thoughts on how the Fruits of the Spirit even work. God promises that HIS actual Spirit lives in side of me. Now I have to choose to listen and respond and let his light come through. I can leave room for his Spirit to exude LOVE, PEACE, PATIENCE, JOY....or I can take up all the space- with me. With every glance up at these apples, with every sun beam coming through I'm whispering to myself "make room Val, make room...less of me and more of Him" What a privilege to have his Spirit that enables me to carry out these fruits.  Its about responding to his Spirit. It starts with FAITH, thats IT. FAITH. Listening to his Spirit inside me and actually having the FAITH to believe it's HIM.