This weekend, I was surprised by two kids that I have watched grow up...They came to the church to hear me preach. Now, they are still young (6 & 4), but I was impressed that they were very well behaved in the church and they even paid attention... At one point in the sermon, I asked "Can you feel that heat?" and my sister later told me that Hannah (6) looked up at that point and shook her head and said, "No, I can't..." Out of the mouths of children...

Caleb (4) was laughing and dancing around after we were rushed inside becuase of the sudden rainstorm. ("Why are we getting out of the pool?" he asked, "We're already wet!")...I decided to share with him his favorite knock,knock joke... (Knock, knock. Who's there? Impatient cow. Impatient... Moo!) Always gets a laugh...So, I had to tell it about 3 times so that he could see if he would not laugh... Then, he wanted to test out his skills... I went through Knock, Knock, who's there? Banana... About 5 times before I decided to take matters in my own hands... Knock, Knock. Who's there? Banana. Orange who? .......Orange you glad I didn't say banana! To which he shrieked and said "I tricked you! I'm smarter than you!" It was a great time!

Then, there were the 3 2-year olds that were running around, looking at everything new... They were surprised at the water of the pool and when a stick fell from the tree it was amazing. Yes, it was truly amazing to see nature, but more importantly to see their reactions and feel their excitement! I was so impressed and in awe of what they were doing... I wanted to be 2 again and look at the world with that much wonder.

Children are wonderful... I love the way that things look through their eyes and how they are so honest, but yet they are not cruel or mean-spirited...Of course things change as they age and the world tells them they need to do things otherwise...But, still there is the sting of innocence that they have and that they pass on to the world. Even as teens, they are still clinging to that innocence by a string and wanting so much to hold onto that, but yet feeling like they should break into the adult world...

I spent the beginning of this week in a class on Blessing Based Spiritual Nurture where we talked about the spirituality of children and teens and how we as pastors, educators, parents, etc... can nurture that and encourage them to grow in their faith. It is a large responsibility to be the nurturer, but yet it is such a gift to be able to do so...

Flit and dart

Richie called me today and all is worked out with his trip! So, he will be going to Italy with me in a month...Good stuff and he was quite excited too...

It's funny how God works you know? I just spent a couple days at my uncle's lake in central Illinois and God and I had a little conversation. It was very odd to be awake early on a Sunday morning, but not be in a church. It's been so long since I've not been in church that I honestly can't even remember when that was...It's been at least 3 years... But, I held my own little worship service in the lake on Sunday afternoon. I know that there is no place that you can't worship God and that every moment should be in worship...But, there is something to be said for the community of believers, but this isn't my theology of worship right now...

As I was floating in the lake and singing some hymns to myself and meditating, I heard God's voice speak to me... And it suddenly occured to me how loud I have made my life so as to miss some of those times when God is speaking. As I was meditating and listening to God's message and words for me that morning, I recieved the first vision that I have had in a long time. I have been so negative about having visions that I almost feel as though I willed them away and told God that I didn't want them anymore...It was wrong and arrogant on my part and I am ashamed and sad that I treated my spiritual gift that way. The vision is still very personal right now and I am trying to work through all the details for myself... When the time is right, I know that I will share it... The message that I can share that God pressed upon me is one that I really needed to hear. It goes like this-- I was on this lake feeling insignificant and small when right beside me a dragonfly landed on my arm. I flapped my arm to get it off when it started to dart around and land here and there on the water. Of course, there were several around and I was somewhat annoyed that they were interrupting my time with God. Then, God's voice whispered in my ear... "Do you ever feel like that dragon fly?" A dragon fly? That's crazy-- how could I feel like a dragon fly? "Always darting around here and there?" Okay, I can see that... Sure I feel like a dragon fly, so what? "This water is faith and it is your spirituality and it is ME. By darting around and flitting everywhere, you are not able to take a long drink and really experience ME." But, I'm doing what YOU'VE called me to do. "Yes, but you are not experiencing ME in the way that you should... You fill up only when you have time to take a small drink and by doing that, you end up darting more than drinking. You need to drink ME more. Take time...The world is not yours to manage and things will happen around you...But, you don't have to take care of everything...By drinking ME in, you will have been doing what I have called you to do."

So...I will be looking at ways to really drink in and experience rather than flit and dart....