This week’s blog is going to be in reverse. Do the experiment, and then reflect on it.
Try this –
Potato Battery Instructions
Materials
- Two potatoes
- Knife
- Two copper wires
- Two pennies
- Two galvanized nails
Directions
- Cut out a penny-sized hole inside of a raw potato.
- Strip one end of a copper wire.
- Tie a copper wire around a penny, making sure the stripped end is touching the copper. You should wrap the wire around the penny a few times.
- Place the penny and copper wire unit in the hole of your potato.
- Pierce the potato with a galvanized nail, in the opposite side of the potato as the penny.
- Do the same thing with another potato, penny, copper wire, and galvanized nail.
- Place the two potatoes side by side.
- Wrap the copper wire from one potato around the galvanized nail of the other potato.
See if your battery works
Use your potato to power something. You can use LED lights, a light bulb, a simple clock, or anything else small that requires a battery. Keep in mind a potato battery isn’t strong enough to power anything large. This is easiest to do if you use alligator clips to help connect your battery to the battery terminal of a small device. Check out this video for more details.
Our scripture from Sunday is the story of the 10 Bridesmaids.
Matthew 25:1-13Common English Bible (CEB)
Parable of the ten young bridesmaids
25 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten young bridesmaids who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and the other five were foolish. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but didn’t bring oil for them. 4 But the wise ones took their lamps and also brought containers of oil.
5 “When the groom was late in coming, they all became drowsy and went to sleep. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Look, the groom! Come out to meet him.’
7 “Then all those bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. 8 But the foolish bridesmaids said to the wise ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps have gone out.’
9 “But the wise bridesmaids replied, ‘No, because if we share with you, there won’t be enough for our lamps and yours. We have a better idea. You go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 But while they were gone to buy oil, the groom came. Those who were ready went with him into the wedding. Then the door was shut.
11 “Later the other bridesmaids came and said, ‘Lord, lord, open the door for us.’
12 “But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’
13 “Therefore, keep alert, because you don’t know the day or the hour.
The bridesmaids talk about oil. The experiment used a potato. These two things, oil and a potato, are used to create a charge. In our lives with Jesus, we too must get charged! When that spark happens, we want to get to know Him better, and we want to spend more time with Him!
The question is, how do you get charged?!? Let’s look at a couple of examples to help create that energy. Prayer – talking to God and Jesus. Study – spending time learning the lessons God wants us to learn. Fasting – no kids, don’t give up food- how about giving up video games or screen time. Service – helping our neighbors. Many of you may know these as Spiritual Disciplines. Practicing Spiritual Disciplines helps us all build our relationship (friendship) with God and Jesus! What helps you stay charged?