My Pint-Sized Worship Mentors

This morning at breakfast we read Matthew 18.  Fresh off Sunday service, verses 1-3 struck  a chord with me. 

"At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"  He called a little child and had him stand among them.  And he said:  "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." 

Last year our girls started staying in church with us.  It's not always an easy choice,  but I have learned so much about worship from watching them, and from being more in tune to other children in the service. 

Yesterday I was listening and watching Emily sing the last song of the service.  The senior pastor at our church REALLY wants his congregation to clap, to be joyful, to maybe, dare I say it, raise a hand. Just about nobody does.  Every week it's just the pastor clapping.  It's awkward. We are a unexpressive lot, except for kids like Emily.  She loves music and she loves Jesus, and she has no problem sharing that.  Oh how free she is to worship!  She dances.  She sings.  Without inhibition, she  pours out the joy in her heart.

So I hear Matthew 18:1-3 and I feel challenged.  It is ME who needs to be trained.  I need to learn what Emily already knows, that it's okay to worship.  I need to change and approach Jesus with the JOY of a six year old. 

Most Sundays when I politely get in communion line at the elder approved moment, I think of a little boy I had the privilege to worship with in Denver.  For a time last winter we were attending a very small church.  There was one little boy who was quite a handful.  He is the type of child that prompted somebody 40 years ago to come up with the idea of locking the parish children away in  Children's Church. 

One day the pastor  was giving a children's message about communion.  The children were invited to come forward and see the communion elements.  This little boy was delayed in heading up with the other kids.  I think he was stuck under the pew.  We all heard a muffled voice calling out from the back.  "Wait! Waaaaiiiiiiit!"  Then a little blur flew past us shouting, "I'm coming!  Don't start without me!"   As he screeched to a halt, barely missing the table, he triumphantly shouted
"Here I am!" 

The congregation started to laugh.  The pastor and the child's parents were mortified.  I started to cry.  Had I ever ONCE  approached the Lord's table that way?  Had I ever longed for communion with God so greatly that I would RUN for fear of missing it?  Had I ever triumphantly called out to God even in my own heart,

"Here I am!" 

 In that moment I believe the little boy brought God joy.   How God must have loved his urgency.
How He must despise our orderly lines that approach Communion with the same passion as approaching the grocery cashier. 

Since that Sunday last winter, I take a moment in communion line to remember that boy's sprint.  I imagine joining him and shouting "Here I am Lord!" And I thank God for my pint-sized mentors who are indeed changing me.

And he (Jesus) said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." 

A gathering of God's little princesses

Last week kicked off our first grade mother-daughter bible study.  All first grade girls and their moms were invited to my friend Cindy's house for fellowship and a bible study.  Cindy has an amazing heart for these little girls and puts so much into planning our meetings.  She has searched and searched for a mother-daughter bible study for this age group, but none exist, so she is paving her own way and trusting that God is going to give her a plan. 

What a plan He gave her for last weekend.  The girls were invited to dress as princesses.  They loved it!  Cindy introduced the study time by sharing with the girls that since God, who is the King of Kings calls each of them his daughter, they are true princesses.  (sniff, sniff).  She explained that each month we will look at characteristics of some of God's "princesses" found in the Bible.




Each girl and her mom took time alone to discuss the characteristics of a princess.  They each chose one or two to write on a pink crown and  then shared it with the group.  The characteristics the girls came up with were beautiful.  Many were internal things not physical - which gave me hope for these young princesses!

According to our little princesses...

A Princess is....  kind, good, adventurous, a leader, special, gentle, someone who cares about others. 







There was a lesson about Tabitha, one of God's daughters who displayed the princess characteristic of kindness.  We discussed kindness and Matthew 7:12 (the golden rule).

Our Princesses decorated folders which will hold the bible story sheets they get each month.

And finally my favorite part of this group... we broke into small groups of mothers and daughters for prayer.  The mothers prayed first for the girls in the group and then the girls took turns praying for the friend to their right. I love this time of modeled prayer for the girls.  Time when they can learn the importance of praying with and for their friends. 

Cindy made sure no 1st grade girl was left out.  She made hearts with the names of each little girl who could not be there, as well as the 1st grade teachers.  She passed out these hearts before our prayer time.  (How awesome is that!)


This group meets monthly during the school year.  I look forward to sharing each month's meeting with you.  Cindy and I both hope that these posts will encourage moms to start a mother-daughter bible study for their daughter's class.  We both hope the ideas Cindy comes up with, and I share here, will inspire additional moms out there to join us.  And please share your ideas with us.  We would love to hear them!

Orrange Family Update and Prayer Request

 

A week or so ago I blogged about my friend Courtney who moved recently to Sierra Leone with her young family.  Several of you e-mailed, commented or have personally asked me to keep you updated on them.  Well I didn't think I would be updated you so soon... but need some prayers my friends.  Courtney's daughter Brooklyn (8) has been very sick for over a week now.  She has been diagnosed with Typhoid and has today been admitted to the hospital.  Please pray for healing for this sweet little girl who is far, far from home, and her mom and dad (Brent) who are so very concerned.