Explaining death to children...

While they can not understand in full....as evidenced by my 3 year old asking...."Is Miya still died"?  The faith of a child helps them grasp the things of death better than you thought.  Jenny has been talking about Miya non stop.  I explained to the kids yesterday after deciding they will go with me to the viewing, about the body left behind.  I told them it was not the real Miya, just her body, her shell.  That the soul of Miya, her spirit, what made her Miya is with Jesus and she has a new body that has no pain and no owies. 

So Jenny went into her nursery at church last night and told her teacher.  "Miya is died but her is in heaven with Jesus and her has a new body".  I did not know she would grasp it enough to explain it to someone else.   She has also said in the last couple days "Mommy Miya's wiver is not bwoken anymore".....so true.  The other two have  talked about Miya playing in heaven.  So precious.

I told them that they can be sad and at the same time it is okay to laugh if they feel joy during the day.  That just because they are sad doesn't mean they can't enjoy life.  That if they need to cry they can.  If they don't want to cry they don't have to.  I told them their feelings are okay.  I explained (and will again) the behavior they will need at the viewing.  That it is okay to be a little scared or worried, or sad or even okay if they don't know what to feel.  They can ask questions but must do so with a soft, respectful voice. 

This will be a life lesson. They can say goodbye to their friend who is basking in the presence of Jesus.  I am sure more questions will come.  But hopefully I am helping them through this journey of grief, saying good bye to a dear friend. 

Wordless Wednesday(somewhat wordless)

This is a picture of my kids praying for my Dad. We were in the middle of cleaning and folding clothes and they wanted to stop and pray for him, so we did.

Sweet prayers

Today I went to a ladies Bible Study at my church. The church we have been attending not the one Mike is interim pastor at. Anyway, at noon the nursery workers bring the children to the moms if the service hasnt quite let out. We were up front praying for people's needs. Jennifer came to me and I was holding her in my arms still praying for people. She herself, began laying her hands on people and praying for them. She'd mutter something with a serious look on her face and say amen. Eat some of the cookie she had in her hand and pray some more. What a picture of trust and love of God. She may be only 2. But she understands in her own way, you pray for others. I think she believes she will get an asnwer. She lifted her hands towards heaven and praise the Lord too. What more beauty does a Christian mom want to see than the faith of her child growing by leaps and bounds. I am blessed beyond belief.

Monday Musings

This is my Hannah's (age 4) picture of God. Above Him is the sky and below Him is the earth. Unknown to her this picture captures the essence of God. He was in creation and active part of creation and the problems of earth are much smaller than His power. He is in control. Though He allows things to happen upon the earth to us whom He loves so deeply.....He is never far from us. He is bigger than all our problems or worries. His love for us goes deeper than we can imagine. He gave us His Son for our sins, though we were unworthy.

Watching my children's faith grow is beyond words. They trust God with all things. As an adult, too many times I let the what if's get in the way. I try to fix it myself. My children, pray and expect God to answer in their behalf and for their benefit. They pray without doubt. That is why God says for us to come to Him like a little child. I think my daughter's picture of God is beautiful and it made me think of how truly amazing our children view our world, our faith and so much more. God is good all the time, no matter what is going on, I can rely on HIM.

Even Small Candles Burn Brightly

The Bible says, "Let you light so shine before men that others might see Him" . Can't think of the chapter and verse at this moment. The Bible often likens being a witness to a candle burning in the dark. However, the Bible doesn't say that light has to be huge, it just had to be lit and not hidden.
This week in school Christopher had a class called guidance. In guidance they talked about faces, feelings and apparently share personal stories. And my beautiful son shared his faith in a simple, yet profound way without even realizing what he was doing. Trust in God comes natural to him, just like breathing. He told the whole group assembled about Allie(his little friend in Florida) when she jumped in the pool without a life jacket and how she almost drowned but God helped her get better. When he told me about it I was blown away. In his simple, childlike faith, he believe everyone knows and loves Jesus. So when he talks about people being sick or needing something he talks about prayer or asks people to pray. He also his first week of school asked his teacher to pray for him. He did not realize that "prayer no longer is allowed in public school". He only knows when you ask for prayer, people pray, or at least in the world he has known until now it has been that way. His teacher told us about it. She told him, she couldn't pray for him now but would at home. He was satisfied. So you see, sharing your faith does not have to be huge. My son is small and tiny, but his candle burns brightly and he is NOT ashamed to say he loves God and that God answers prayer. He is not ashamed to say grace or call on Jesus, even at school. I only hope we keep fostering that faith and his candle burns brighter and brighter. Oh if we adults only let our candles burn so openly, so freely and without hesitation. My heart is filled with awe because of what Jesus does through my little boy. God is using him mightily and he is just a little boy......what promise he holds in the Kingdom of God. Hannah too, she prays at the drop of a hat, without question. They are tiny but they are mighty in their faith and truly the warrior is a CHILD. I praise God for what He is doing in my children.

The faith of a child

The Bible does say we should come to him like a little child. Once again.....my son has shown me a real live object lesson of that fact.

I think it was this past Thursday or Friday.....not sure on which day but that I guess doesnt matter.

I had sent Christopher to his room to think about his behavior. Since he was a very young child he would pray and talk to God when he is in time out. Say things like "let mommy and daddy let me out of time out" etc. But that day.....something different happened. Suddenly my son was wailing and crying deep, deep sobs......sobs so heartfelt I went to check on him.

Christopher, what's wrong.

I cant hear the Lord. I just want to hear His voice.

Honey, He talks to us diffently than voice.

But I can't hear Him mommy, I want to hear the Lord....Oh Lord....let me hear you. I want to hear your voice.....Lord. Lord....please let me hear you. Oh , Mommy He cant hear me......why doesnt He answer why cant I hear His voice.

Honey, honey it's okay........He speaks to our heart not in a voice we hear with your ears.

But Mommy....my heart doesn't have any ears. I can't hear him. (as he tried to put his ear on his chest, as he raised his tear stained face and sweet little hands towards heaven. My little boy cried out to God...His Lord......)

Mommy....I need to go to heaven so I can hear the Lord (as he lept with his raised hands toward the ceiling trying to reach heaven)...but I cant reach heaven it is too high. (still crying in earnest with heart felt sobs and his face so sincere and so precious).

Honey...if you went to heaven I would miss you here.

But Mommy....I would come right back.....I promise....Oh , Lord just let me hear you, please let me hear your voice.

I am hugging him now....and trying my hardest not to cry in front of him as my mommy heart is wrenched to its core with this child seeking God so earnestly.....so desperate to hear the Lord's voice. It took an hour and starting a breathing treatment to get him calme enough to listen to me. As he got his treatment he was saying

Lord, hear me, let me hear you......Heal me up Lord, just heal me up.

by this time I was fighting for emotional control so I wouldnt make him more upset.


I read to him from Psalms and I sang to him and I prayed with him. We even called his Daddy during that time at work....and still he did not calm........finally when he did calm down I was able to communicate that God speaks to our hearts.......not with an audible voice. As I read the Word of God to him and prayed with him......his spirit quieted with in him. Our senior pastor came over after my husband called him and told him the same thing I had. Never in my life.....have I seen a 6 year old child seek God so earnestly.....so deeply, so sincerely. I was floored, awed and humbled. My son, my precious son was not seeking attention, he was not trying to get out of trouble....but he truly, earnestly wanted to hear the audible voice of the Lord. The only thing I can figure is that while he prayed during his time out.....he came to the realization he was not hearing an audible voice.

If adults sought God the way my son sought the Lord's voice that day......what kind of Christian's would this world have? Christian's on fire for God. I will never forget my child's tear stained face, face and hands lifted to heaven, voice filled with earnest, sincere emotion and his precious words crying out to the Lord just to hear His voice. My Lord, My Lord.....when will MY FAITH be that strong........when was the last time it was that strong. So today I plead for the faith of a child. I am humbled and awed by what the Lord is doing in my son. My husband, the pastor and his wife were amazed at how earnest my son was seeking the Lord as well. When the pastor came over.......although Christopher was calm by that time.......his eyes were still swollen....but he had peace.......peace brought by the word of God and the Lord ministering to his heart when we prayed together.

All I can say......is Lord let me walk in that faith....the faith of a child.