Contraction Surgery

 "Expand, Contract, Expand, Contract" We say as we show the students in the 2nd grade classroom how to conduct contraction surgery. Next we place our surgical masks on and squeeze our hands into the plastic gloves.  I of course have put my thumb into the pinkie portion! :)  Using the supplies of scissors, bandages, word sheets and markers we demonstrate how to create a contraction. The surgery is to remove the letters that are not a part of the contraction and then to use a bandage to represent the apostrophe. Once we completed the demonstration, the students began to conduct their own operations. It was a riot watching the students in surgical masks trying to navigate the rubber gloves and the sticky bandages.  


The result of this lesson was of course to have students understand that contractions represent two words that have been smooshed together. From the looks of their end product they got the message loud and clear. 


Every day God is trying to show us the lesson of the contraction surgery.  There are many things that we cling to that we simply do not need to be happy. Some of these things are possessions others are attitudes or behaviors.

Warning, surgery may be required and it may hurt a little.

Where is this necessary?

Is it in your

food

fighting

finances

following after.....

friendships

foolishness

fantasies

feelings

freedom

Will you let Him do the surgery?

I have this mental picture of thousands of people with brightly colored bandages representing the surgery that God did in their life. I am sure that many people like myself would have a multitude of bandages because several surgeries would be required.

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10