Annual Carving of the JESUS pumpkin

For many many years we have a tradition of carving our JESUS pumpkin. Since we don't celebrate Halloween I found a way to still bring the fun of carving pumpkins to our family. The kids look forward to this each year. I only had two at home tonight to do this project so that was little different but we still had a great time.

Also, my friend De'Etta has added this tradition with her family too. I visited her blog yesterday and I like how she added some things to the poem that goes along with the carving. So De'Etta . . . I borrowed it from you :-) http://not2many.blogspot.com

First, God picks you from the pumpkin patch and brings you in from the field. The Bible says He selects us out of the world. We are in the world, but no longer of the world. He then washes all the "dirt" off the outside that we received from being in the pumpkin patch. All the outside influences of our former life must be cleaned up. Old things are passed away and all things are become new.

Then, He carefully removes all the "yucky stuff" called "sin" out from the inside.

Look at this! Yuck! It smells too - just like our sin smells to others

He then changes us from the inside out by the Power of His presence. He carefully removes all those seeds of doubt, hate, greed, and fear. He replaces them with the seeds of faith, hope and love. After Jesus is invited inside, you begin to experience the changing power of God's love in your life.

On a side note, in all the years that we have carved our JESUS pumpkin we have never found the following. As the kids were cleaning out the pumpkin I noticed something green in the pile of stuff. As I looked more closely I saw that some of the seeds had sprouted while in the pumpkin. I think this could go along with this poem perfectly.

Jesus gives us a new life and a new beginning when we ask the Lord to come inside and live. The old seed is gone and is replaced with a clean fresh sprout. Just as Jesus takes away our old man and we become a new man in Christ. (I am not the best writer so maybe someone can come up with something better than what I wrote to go with this picture. Also, has anyone else ever had this happen? Jesus carves His name on your life. His character becomes my character.
Then He carves a new smiling face. Our countenance is changed by the power of His presence in our life. We then become so grateful. It can even show on our face!


Now we are going to light this candle inside. Look! This pumpkin now reflects the light from inside out. So too, when Jesus, who is called the Son of Light, lives inside of us, He shines through our life for all to see. We can let His light reflect through us to reveal His presence. "Let your light so shine before men that they may be able to see your good works and glorify your Father, who is in heaven."
This light will shine brighter in the dark tonight. In fact – look all that we can see from a distance is Jesus’ name. Jesus’ character often shines brighter in my life when things are dark and hard.
Then people see HIS light and HIS character on my face the brightest.So you see, we Christians are really like this pumpkin! We will never be the same with Jesus inside of us.

I borrowed this from De'Etta's blog too!

"Christians are like pumpkins"

{cut off top of pumpkin}Lord, open my mind so I can learn new things about you.

{remove innards}Remove the things in my life that don’t please you.Forgive the wrong things I do and help me to forgive others.

{cut open eyes}Open my eyes to see the beauty you’ve made in the world around me.

{cut out nose}I’m sorry for the times I’ve turned my nose at the good food you provide.

{cut out mouth}Let everything I say please You.

{light the candle}Lord, help me show your light to others through the things I do. Amen

(One site attributed the poem to Liz Curtis Higgs - the rest gave no author)