Storms in Life

Bible Verse: “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” — James 1:19

Have you ever been outside when a storm is coming? Thunder rumbles, lightning flashes, and the wind blows so strong it almost feels like the world is shaking! But did you know that all storms—whether they are thunderstorms, hurricanes, or blizzards—start because of something called “pressure changes” in the air? When there is a lot of air pressure in one place and less pressure in another, it causes the air to move quickly. This can make clouds form and soon, a storm is born!

When there’s low pressure in the air, it pulls the winds toward it. As the air rises, it cools down and forms clouds. When these clouds get too full of water, the storm happens! The wind, rain, and even lightning all come from this shifting pressure. It’s like the air has too much inside, and it needs to let go!

Now, let’s talk about anger. Sometimes we feel like a storm inside, don’t we? Maybe we’re upset at a friend or feel frustrated when things don’t go the way we want. When we hold onto that anger, it’s like keeping a storm inside of us. Just like the air pressure makes a storm happen, our anger can build up inside until it explodes, just like thunder. 

God doesn’t want us to act like a storm. He wants us to be kind and gentle with our words and actions, even when we’re upset. When we feel angry, we should try to stop and think before reacting. Just like we can choose to calm down a storm by letting go of our anger, we can choose to calm our hearts and treat others with kindness.

Remember, God is very kind to us. Even when we make mistakes or treat others badly, God forgives us and still loves us. He wants us to do the same for others. By letting go of anger and forgiving, we stop our “storm” inside and show God’s love.

Let’s imagine you are in the middle of a storm inside. Take a deep breath with me. In… and out… When you breathe slowly and calmly, it helps you feel peaceful again. Just like calming a storm outside, when we calm ourselves inside, we let go of the anger and choose to act kindly. Let’s practice: the next time you feel angry, try taking a deep breath, asking God to help you, and remember that He loves you and everyone around you.

Dear God, thank You for always being kind and forgiving, even when we don’t always do what is right. Help us to control our anger and show kindness to others, just like You show kindness to us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Remember, storms outside happen because of pressure. When you feel angry, remember to take a moment to breathe, let go of the pressure, and allow God to help you calm your storm, so you can show kindness to others.

Snowstorm in a Jar (Winter STEM Activity)

Prep Time10minutes minutes

Equipment

• Cleaned plastic peanut butter jar with lid

Ingredients

• 2 cups Water
• 2 cups Baby Oil
• 1 teaspoon Acrylic Paint
• 1-2 Alka-Seltzer Tablets

Instructions

1.                  In a separate bowl or measuring cup, add a squirt of acrylic craft paint to no more than 1-2 cups of water.

2.                  Stir to blend water and paint. You can add more paint if needed.

3.                  Fill your mason jar at least halfway full of baby oil.

4.                  Slowly pour the water and paint mixture into your jar of baby oil. Allow everything to settle so oil and water/paint mixture are completely separate.

5.                  Drop Alka-Seltzer tablet into the jar and watch the snowstorm begin!

1. Immiscible Liquids

Liquids that do not mix to create a single homogenous mixture are said to be “immiscible.” Oil and water are perhaps the most well-known examples of this phenomenon.

Water molecules are polar molecules, which means that one end has a positive charge, and the other end has a negative charge (like a battery). The negative end of one water molecule will be attracted to the positive end of another water molecule. However, oil molecules are non-polar, so it will stick to itself and will never be attracted to a polar molecule like water.

When you try to mix oil and water, the water molecules will attract each other and bond tightly together. These secure bonds are denser, since they are tightly packed. That’s why water sinks past the oil right to the bottom of the jar.

2. Pressure

Real-life storms, whether it be thunderstorms, hurricanes, or blizzards, are all the result of pressure changes in Earth’s atmosphere. Areas of low pressure draw winds towards them, air rises up and creates clouds and the condensation to create a storm.

Our snowstorm in a jar recreates this concept on a small scale. The Alka-Seltzer tablet creates a pressure change in our jar. The sodium bicarbonate in each tablet mixes with water and forms carbon dioxide gas, which pushes droplets of water up through the oil to the top of the jar. Then the water falls back down to the bottom, like snow flurries.

Snow Dough

1 cup flour

1 cup water

1/2 cup salt

2 Tablespoons cream of tartar

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1. Add flour, water, salt, cream of tartar, oil, and food coloring (if using) to a pot and stir to combine.
2. Cook on low heat stirring until the ingredients start to become solid. Keep stirring as needed until playdough is cooked and begins to clump together when you stir it.
3. Once playdough is in a solid ball remove from the heat.
4. Once playdough is cool enough to handle, finish kneading by hand.