Last night we did our first family devotional time. OK, it wasn’t exactly a devotional. But it was a family activity. And it was about Jesus. So, I’m going to call it a devotional.
We sat down together and read The Pumpkin Patch Parable by Liz Curtis Higgs. Then we acted it out. Here’s how it went:
First we picked out a beautiful pumpkin from the pumpkin patch grocery store. Then we washed it off and opened it up! (Psalm 51:10)
Then we cleaned him out–all the hidden, dirty things inside! (Ezekiel 11:18-20)
We gave our pumpkin a new face! (2 Corinthians 3:18)
Finally, our pumpkin was lit from the inside and shining for the whole world to see!
(Matthew 5:16)
The Pumpkin Patch Parable tells this same story in more details and gives scriptures every step of the way. The scriptures and the story point to the miracle that Jesus does in our lives–he chooses us, washes us off, takes away all our dirty sin, gives us a new heart, a smile on our face and a light to shine to the world! It’s a beautiful picture and a long-standing object lesson that we are able to see for weeks to come! Lydia and I were chanting, “Let your light shine! Matthew 5:16!” the whole time we were looking at our shining new pumpkin. It made quite an impression!
I know this is a blatant rip-off of the Halloween Jack-o-Lantern. Liz Curtis Higgs describes it as redeeming something that God created–a pumpkin. And can I say something else? God knew. God knew people would use the pumpkin as something scary. And that his creation would be a symbol for a mostly evil holiday. And I think he put this symbolism together for this very purpose–to redeem it and remind us how He has redeemed us!
This is an excellent book with sweet pictures and a very profound message. I encourage you to get this book even if you don’t do the carving of a pumpkin together. It will help your kids associate a pumpkin (or jack-o-lantern) with God’s love instead of with Halloween!
See my review of Liz Curtis Higg’s The Pine Tree Parable
