My kids LOVE Legos. They have for years – probably around 8 or 9 years to be exact, beginning when Kory was four or five. When questioned about what gift they might like for a birthday or Christmas, the answer was usually LEGOS! Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends would ask, “Are you sure they still want Legos? I gave them Legos last year.” What they didn’t realize was that every season there was a new and better Lego set, with MUST HAVE tools, equipment, weapons, and Lego “guys.” If you loved Legos, you just HAD to have it. Currently, for example, there are several Star Wars and Indiana Jones Lego sets. What Lego lover wouldn’t want these? And what parent who grew up in the 70’s & 80’s watching these movies for the first time at the theater wouldn’t want their child to have them?

So, over the years as the sets were built and then taken apart to make something new they have all ended up in this catch-all Rubbermaid container which has always been located under the boys’ bunk beds. (Actually, this is container #3 – the first two fell to pieces over time!) This was a fine system, and the boys even enjoyed the challenge of finding just the piece they were looking for in this huge collection, but it was time for a change.
(At least in my summer-cleaning-frenzy mind it was.)

So, for the past few weeks the box of Legos sat either on our dining room table or the living room coffee table, and we sorted, and sorted, and sorted. There was quite a bit of distraction from the sorting as long lost pieces were found, and the finder was compelled to build something with them, but even Robert got in on the sorting on a couple of occasions – it was actually quite addicting and satisfying. Cook dinner? Create homeschool proposals for the coming year? Do the laundry? Return phone calls? Sorry….I’m busy sorting Legos. Priorities, ya know. I’m just being a good steward of our material blessings. And won’t my grandchildren be so thrilled when they visit in 10, 20 , 30 more years??

So, from Lego-box-under-the-bed to Lego Building Station!
Ahhhhhh…..the glorious order of it all! We have bins for flat bricks, narrow bricks, and wide bricks; drawers for platforms, arches, roofing materials, boats and animals; compartments for flags, flames, steering wheels, hooks, joints, and propellers; small drawers for tools, gear, discs, weapons and more; and last but definitely not least, a special wire basket for those beloved “Lego guys!”
(And all of their detached limbs, little yellow hands, and decapitated heads.)

I do need to give credit to my friend Christina, who has a similar set-up at her house. I’ve admired it for years, and marveled at how kids flock to the table and use their imagination to build the most amazing things.

So how long do you think this will last? And would anyone be able to relate to my hesitancy to ever let them play with Legos again now that they look so beautiful in their respective bins? I’m sure this will be yet another sanctification through surrender opportunity.
God likes order though, right?

(Kory missed out on all of the organizing into bins and drawers which included the complete cleaning and rearranging of their bedroom, as he is on his camping trip to Acadia National Park and Soul Fest with Robert. Cooper can’t wait to be the first to give him a tour of their cool new pad – new comforters and everything! Did I mention the cleaning frenzy? Yeah.)