All about the little ones

Some Sundays are "another day at the office" (not that leading Worship is great... sometimes it "is what it is"), and some will stick in my mind because of the joy it brings. Today was one of those "awesome joy" days.

I have two churches in two cities... an agriculture community and a bedroom community. Recently, the bedroom community church made a big-splash dive to be more "in the community" and "part of the community". As a result, I've probably done more baptisms there in the last year than in my nearly ten years as a pastor. I've also recently filled my calendar with more "community" dinners, kids programs, and vacation bible school plans in the past month than my pen could keep up on. And I've got more kids showing up for the Kids' Message during Worship, which is always a great thing until I "lose my mind" and ask a question (as a group of kids a question, and only God knows what will come out of those tiny but ever-busy brains).

But kids also can show people a love that adults too often forget.

• My dog, Dingo, was recently ill. One of the kids in this church, who usually doesn't like to talk to many people (unless there is something to say about her or against her little brother), opened up when she talked about keeping Dingo in her prayers. (She really is a sweet person)
• After Worship this morning, a little boy was standing with his dad as we talked about the weather and such. The little boy then looked up at me and said "I love you to the moon and back". (That was a 'high five' moment!)
• Later on, I was talked to a young lady and her mom about the Girl Scout cookies I recently bought (Nah, not to eat the cookies... I was, um, uh, supporting the Girl Scouts -yeah, that's what it was). The little sister, five years old, then came around my desk and gave me a hug (it should be mentioned that when I say "Good Morning" at the start of the Worship or Kids' Message, this same little girl will, without reservation, yell "Good morning" back at me, *wherever* she is sitting in the church). The little sister then told me that she was going to marry me. When her mom reminded her that she told her dad that she'd marry him, I guess I'm in a close running with her dad, except that when I gave her big sister, the Girl Scout, the money for the cookies I bought last month, the little sister quickly took my money - maybe she's getting ready to take the hubby's money.

Jesus says that the kingdom is all about the kids... we have to humble ourselves like a child, we can't hold them back or cause them to stumble, so on and so on.

 

What would life look like if we spent more time laughing, loving, caring, and enjoying things and less time trying so hard to be "the perfect adult"?

What would life look like with that much joy in our lives?

What can we learn from kids?
(Just watch this video and find out--- and a little footnote, there is a cute little boy in this same church that is like the young man in this video, so maybe you'll understand my "dilemma" about posing questions during the Kids' Message.)