Bear Fruit Project: TEMPERANCE!

This month is the final Bear Fruit Project because
we've come to the last segment of the Fruit of the Spirit!

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23

Temperance means self-control and is something we all lack in different areas of our life. Whether it's controlling our time on the internet or smartphone, resisting junk food or cooling off our temper the fruit of temperance is often the hardest to grow. We might think that trying to control our desires is restrictive, but when we become addicted to something we become it's slave. 

I find it very sad how our generation is so addicted to smartphones and we cannot control our screen time. I try to control my own use though I find it difficult because I'm so reliant on it. It should only be a tool, not something that has master over our time and mood. 

Anyway for Bear Fruit Project we made these temperance reflection boxes. I bought these flexible sheets of mirrors and cut them to size. They aren't real mirrors, but are decorative. They are sort of like those warping mirrors you see in amusement parks. My mum picked up an old calendar which had nice paper and I used it for this project :) 

The purpose was to prompt reflection on the fruits of the spirit we lack in most. This year I realized that a lot of my anger stems from lack of patience/longsuffering. So it's something I am constantly reflecting and working on. 

Esther and I folded the top box, but we got the youths to fold the bottom and man...I thought it was pretty simple but they struggled! They stuck on the mirror and then customized it. After that we wrote notes of encouragement and verses to put into each other's box. The purpose is that when we fail to produce the fruit of the Spirit, we stop and reflect and then open the box and find an encouragement to keep living for God. 

BFP nights are always a little crazy. They always start bursting out laughing over the littlest things...
Some of them started trolling Hendrix when he came late after work. 

"kick me for a hug"

Anyway it was a great night and a fun way to end Bear Fruit Project! Thank God so much for providing all the materials and ideas ^^ It was definitely a great bonding activity for everyone and spread the fruit of the Spirit to our church community. It was enjoyable for Esther and I as well, because we could use our creativity for God's ministry.