O SON OF SPIRIT!
I have created thee rich, why dost thou bring thyself down to poverty? Noble I made thee, wherewith dost thou abase thyself? Out of the essence of knowledge I gave thee being, why seekest thou enlightenment from anyone beside Me? Out of the clay of love I molded thee, how dost thou busy thyself with another? Turn thy sight unto thyself, that thou mayest find Me standing within thee, mighty, powerful and self-subsisting.
~Baha'u'llah
Discussion:
Remember our gold coins. How has God made us rich? How do we make ourselves poor?
What sort of nobility is inside of us? In what ways do we deny this nobility?
What are good sources of knowledge? Think about the difference between seeking truth and doubt.
God created us to become spiritual beings. The world is a gift so that we may learn from it and experience it fully. What do we lose by becoming distracted by it and lost in it, knowing it only for its own sake instead of looking at it as a way to learn?
Activity:
Use modeling clay (or beeswax) to create something representing what we love very much. Can you see the mark of your fingers in it? Does it reflect your care and love?
We used a polymer clay based on this recipe. It is a less toxic version of fimo that air dries hard and paintable. I adjusted the recipe as follows:
1 large bottle of white glue (7oz or roughly 3/4C)
1 C cornstarch
2 TBS mineral oil
juice of 1 lemon
Combine all ingredients in a small pot. This takes some stirring!
Over medium heat, stir continually until the mixture thickens.
Turn it our and knead it while still hot. If it is too sticky, add more cornstarch. I found it helped if I coated my hands with oil.
Keep the clay sealed until ready for use. It took about 2 days to fully air dry. I should also note that this has a rubbery texture, which means it is not as much like plastecine as I had imagined. It does better with larger, more organic shapes than highly detailed sculptures. The children all enjoyed working with it, though.