On Sunday I talked with the children about Jumpy the tadpole.  He is sooo comfortable in his surroundings that he really hasn’t changed very much.  After a year and two months of course, he should be a frog by now!  We talked about how sometimes God takes us to places where we are not very comfortable, but in those places we CHANGE and GROW.  Here is an experiment that will give your family an opportunity to experience change through science.  It only takes two ingredients – milk and vinegar.  These are the directions:

First of all, take 1 cup of milk and warm it in the microwave for about 1 1/2 minutes (you want it hot, but not boiling)

Next, stir in 4 tablespoons of vinegar.

The milk will start to clump as the acid in the vinegar breaks down the protein in the milk. Stir for about 1 minute.

Then, strain the milk through a strainer. All the clumps will stay in the strainer. Really push on them to get all the liquid out.

Finally, transfer it to some paper towels and continue to press all the liquid out of the plastic milk. You can then shape it and color it if you wish.

You can use a cookie cutter and then add a few drops of food coloring or it can be left white too.

Set them aside to dry for a good long while – about 2 nights – and then they were ready! Hard as could be.

As a family, really observe the change that is happening between these two ingredients.  The acid in the vinegar causes the protein to separate from the whey. (Kind of like making cheese)  Share your observations with one another.  God works in each of us to help us change and grow into new things. Some things to talk about: Have each member of the family share a time when they felt God pushing them to change and grow.  What was the result?  Has anyone in your family tried not to change?  How did that work out for them?  What changes do you see happening in your family that reflect how God is working in your lives?  Remind each other that change can be hard, but God is with you every step of the way, and as a family you will support each other!

Please share some pictures of your family’s experiment!