Monthly devotions 2014

When our children explore their environment, they are learning.  They touch everything.  Having just spent Christmas Eve with family, the exhaustion hasn't worn off.  Constant "don't touch that, don't go in there, don't do that", leads to please child; just sit and eat.  Then you get a family member who later says, "the boys were pretty good!"  Oh my.  Sure if you consider that my husband and I tag teamed the entire time to ensure that one of the beautiful lined up nutcrackers didn't get broken, or the glass coffee table didn't get stood on, or better yet, they didn't venture outside.  It took several days for us to shake the whole thing.  Catch phrase was fun but that's because the children sat mesmerized that full grown adults can get so excited and shout and react with lightning speed totally on their level that they were wondering what had gotten into us.  It was refreshing.  But looking back, how bad were they?  Did they break anything?  No.  Did they try to play with anything that shouldn't be played with? No.  They were just curious.  That's how children learn.   They explore their environment.  And my husband and I are just so worried the whole time that they are going to come across as little holy terrors and break stuff that we are all worked up.  It's like being in fight or flight the entire time.  I couldn't even think to build the Thomas the train wooden track as the group of cousins sat around me in a circle watching like vultures making me feel even more self conscious because I was fumbling with the pieces.  And then when I was done it was like I was making the boys play with it.  They didn't want to!   It was a new environment.   Even if most everyone seemed to be saying no to this and that, it was new territory!  Isn't that what God means for us to do with scripture?  To be hands on.  To get in there and explore.  Learn by doing.   Immerse yourself.  Because how can we learn if we put distance between our lessons and ourselves.  Just think about how much more learning takes place in our own homes where we allow our children to explore their environments.  Thanks be to God! 


Matthew 18:3-6  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.  Therefore whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.