Saturday Night PK

Around 8 Tonight my daughter Gracie broke down crying because, “Mommy!   I just want to serve and I’m too little to do anything! Everyone at church says, “No you’re too young.  I don’t want to be a kid anymore- you don’t get to do anything!”  We began talking about how tomorrow we start planning our revamp of Children’s Church.  We will have a rotation of volunteers and a rotation of children taking turns leading different things (just like at school- line leader, etc.)-- she excitedly began planning-- "Yes Mommy- one week someone can read scripture, another person can give a short sermon, someone can be an usher,  another person be the musician….AND  we’ll have our own bulletins!”   We already have the coloring children’s bulletins in service- but we’re going to be making a basic bulletin with pictures to go with each section (Prayer, offering, Song, etc.) and laminate them for weekly use.  She went on, “And we’ll have our own computer with a screen….. but Mommy!  We don’t have candles!”  Me- “We’ll make a little chapel area with an altar and candles and everything.”  “Awesome!!!” she said.  She was then so excited she decided she would “prepare” by practicing in her room.  She turned her dresser into her own “altar” and put a picture of Jesus (the laughing Jesus picture) and sat her “Jesus books” all up around the dresser. 

Watching her was overwhelming and powerful.  And I could see myself—overcome with passion and frustrated that I can’t always do all my heart yearns to. 

9- She’s been restless…unable to go to sleep because she wants to play music – (she got a recorder at the church yard sale) and wanted to play it in church tomorrow – “Mommy, I just want to play it to praise God.”

No I told her—you can play something in church when you’ve practiced.

9:30 She walked into my room- picked up the hymnal and said—“I’ll just read these hymns then! And it will be like a lullaby to go to bed.” 

That didn't work--She started reading the Psalter and shouted! "Mommy - I know this!  We read this in church!  We could use this when we plan our Children's Worship!" 

I'm sitting here- desperately needing to finish my sermon.  

Begging her- "Please Gracie- you really need to go to bed now. Your eyes are getting purple underneath. I know you want to be at your best tomorrow and you can only do that if you are well rested.  (I'm talking to myself there too!)

(Her Daddy is with the other daughter getting her down.) 

Lord, Thank you for my beautiful, wise, grace-filled, deep daughters.  Thank you for their passion, joy, and precocious sense of wonder.   Give me energy and strength and motivation to bring the word you've placed on my heart and head and which I am seeking to still get down on paper this evening.  May you be glorified in all I do, Amen.