Developing a Theme

Cobweb Theme Decorations: Although you want to be careful that the room doesn’t look creepy or Halloween-style, you can decorate the corners with cobwebs. There are many products that are available: cobwebs in a can, cobweb tablecloths, bags of stretchable cobweb, cobweb shooters, or cobwebs made from nylon or rope. You can hang pieces of black thread from door frames so that it feels as if you are walking through a spider web. The best way this theme could be used is to combine it with a spring cleaning type of theme and use cobwebs as an illustration or object lesson.

Refreshments: Cobweb Cookies

Ingredients:

• · 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cooking oil
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• powdered sugar (sprinkled on finished “cobweb”)

Preparation:

Combine flour, sugar, vegetable oil, milk, vanilla, and eggs; beat until smooth. Pour batter into a plastic squeeze bottle with a narrow opening, or use a pastry decorating bag with a small opening. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat until hot; lightly grease. Working quickly, squeeze batter to form 4 straight, thin lines which intersect at a common center point to form a “star” shape. To form cobweb, squeeze thin streams of batter to connect lines. Cook 30 to 60 seconds or until bottom is golden brown; carefully turn. Cook until golden brown; remove from skillet. Cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen 4-inch cobweb cookies.

Devotional

Using this acrostic may help put perspective on the cobwebs in our lives. We only see cobwebs because the dust settles on them. The cobwebs can take over in my home when I . . .

Carry my burdens on my own with no dependence on God.

Psalm 55:22—Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Overstep God’s will in my life by overloading my commitments.

Micah 6:8—He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Bitterly refuse to forgive, which really means I’m refusing to love.

Luke 17:3-4—Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

Worship my family, hobbies, or ministries more than God.

Matthew 22:36-38—Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.

Entertain thoughts that aren’t true or lovely or of good report.

Philippians 4:8—Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Become more concerned about my outward person than my inward person.

1 Peter 3:3-4—Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

Serve for temporal pleasures and not eternal gain.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18—For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Has the dust settled on any of these cobwebs making them visible in your life? God has a way of letting the dust settle on areas that need changing in our lives.