Microwave Blessings?

Averiana is obsessed with diamonds right now. Lately, she's been asking me if we can make some diamonds for a school project. I kept telling her that God is the only one who can make diamonds because it takes a lot of time and pressure for diamonds to form. In fact, we read that diamonds are formed from molten rock that has to be a minimum of 75 miles underground and the temperature must be over 2000 degrees Fahrenheit.

She asked me, "Can we make diamonds in the microwave?" What a cute idea. Because of her persistence, I finally got on-line to see if there was any way to make "diamonds". We found a couple intense chemistry experiments that would require a lab and too much equipment to complete. Then I saw it: a You-Tube video on how to make "fresh diamonds in the microwave." So, I thought, "Why not?" It will be a good learning experience for Averiana either way. Larry tried to tell us that our proposed experiment wasn't going to work, but when his little girls eyes welled up with disappointment he, like a good
daddy, went along with the experiment anyway!

There you have it. Charcoal smothered in peanut butter, then placed in a pyrex dish covered by a lid and put in the microwave for ten minute increments for 60 minutes.

It didn't take long for our experiment to go sour. First, two of the four dishes exploded. Larry figured out a way to get the experiment back on track and he nuked the charcoal for the entire 60 minutes. We took the charcoal out of the microwave, burned off the excess and rinsed it as specified. We found nothing but a crumbly mess of fried charcoal. SURPRISE, SURPRISE: NO DIAMONDS!!!

LESSONS LEARNED:

1. We can't expect "microwave blessings". We live in an instant-gratification society and we want everything now. We don't want to wait for anything. When we pray and we don't get an answer right away, often times we get upset. BUT God says that those that wait on him will renew their strength. He says, wait on the Lord, take heart and wait on the Lord.

2. Diamonds take time and pressure to develop...just like it takes time and pressure for our character to become like the character of God. We will not become like Jesus overnight. After much waiting and persevering through the pressures of this world, we will become like pure diamonds, shining like Jesus to all eyes that look upon us!

3. Promises of this world often end up in a crumbly mess! Whether the experiment was totally false, or too many conditions went wrong, we were able to teach Averiana a very valuable lesson. When you put your hope in the things of this world, most likely you will be very disappointed!

4. Ultimately, WE WILL FAIL, when we try to do things in our own strength that are meant to be accomplished by the power of God! Diamonds are special treasures that our mighty King made for us to enjoy...not for us to try to create. Even if the experiment did work as planned, the supposed man-made miracles would have been FAKE DIAMONDS IN THE MICROWAVE!!! Nothing we could ever make on our own is even close to the REAL THING!!!