8/5/2025
"Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children,
you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 18:3
I woke up to overcast skies and misty rain. Fortunately, by afternoon I was able to cut the back yard, although with much difficulty due to the lush, damp grass, but surprisingly, the drain ditch was dry, and it hasn't been that way all summer. We were beginning to think the pipe had burst, because it was full of water all the time, and it flowed down the ditch, but apparently, that was not the problem. Whatever it was, I am grateful for the divine intervention in drying it in spite of all the rain. I still have the sides and front yard to cut, and the forecast calls for rain the next few days, so I don't know when I'll be able to finish. Still, there's plenty to do inside.
I'm relieved that my afternoon turned out better than the morning began. It was one of those days when the emails came in faster than I could read, delete or file them. I had gotten behind in posting my blogs, and although I had the notes, the topics of the days were heavy spiritually and emotionally, but I managed to get it posted. I'm not sure if it met the approval of whomever reads my blogs, but it really doesn't matter, because I write what I feel the Lord puts on my heart. I pray over everything, because I hesitate sometimes to write what I feel, and yet, God said to write the story. The story I am discovering, is His story, seen through my eyes and about my life with His hand upon it, if that makes sense. I'm still trying to figure it out, but I hope I get it right.
The Lord says that we are to become like little children, and I understand that. Children are very humble, loving, and easily accept things as truth. In season one of The Chosen, there is one episode where a little girl encounters Jesus camped in the field where she plays. She brings a friend, then friends, and the group innocently accept the friendship of Jesus whom He teaches to craft items while He teaches them stories about the Kingdom. it is so refreshing when I see children praying, dancing before the Lord, enjoying His company, and He finds much joy sharing time with them. That's the way I love to worship Him. Dancing, laughing, enjoying the time. It's easy to talk to talk to Jesus about anything. He cares about everything.
When I taught children's church I would use puppets to tell the stories I had written. My daughter was the teacher, in front of the puppet stage, and I was the puppeteer behind the curtain. At first we had two puppets, two dogs, Benji and Browser. Benji was always trying to keep Browser out of trouble, especially in church. He wasn't an ill-mannered puppy, Browser was a little mischievous, in a playful way, but he had never been to children's church until Benji invited him. It took patience and teaching the right and wrong way to behave, especially in church. The children in the class loved the two puppies, and each week a new lesson was taught in a way the children could understand and remember. Plus, they could share with their families the misadventures of Benji and Browser. All three of my children eventually helped me in my puppetry ministry over the years, and the creativity still flows after all these years.
My son is particularly fond of Grinch, so one day, close to his birthday, while I was shopping in the Trading Post, I noticed a little fellow thrown into a bin with other Grinch babies. He seemed to jump out and plead with me to choose him, so I brought the little feller home. He sat on Daniel's shelf downstairs for a month or two, wordless, until one day, overhearing my conversation with Daniel about a lady who always said "huh?" during church services when she didn't understand, said one word - "Huhhhhh??" From that day forward that little guy has taken on his own personality, and there's never a dull moment around here! I told my son that we should write some of the fantastic stories Grinch tells in a notebook, so we can write a book. Grinch's actions resemble Browser's first days before he attended children's church. I told my son that puppets could be very therapeutic to kids in trauma. I remember when I was a child that I'd talk to my stuffed animals, because they were safe, and they didn't get mad when I shared things with them. Whenever I used puppets to teach children the stories of Jesus, or to use them to explain right and wrong behavior, they listened, and they learned. Play therapy is very beneficial to children in trauma, and the technique has been used with adults who have been so deeply injured in childhood and who have never recovered.
Perhaps my son and I are are just two crazy adults who have way too much fun acting out the antics of our often obnoxious, but extremely precocious little Grinch. Sometimes my son gets a little too enthusiastic with the bad attitude, and I often worry that the neighbors will call the police, but so far so good. I did warn my friend that if she heard some shouting, not to worry, because we were having fun! She laughed, because she is learning that I am "one sandwich short of a picnic!"
God has called us each to go out into the world, and we are to help others, even in less than normal means, but then He uses donkeys and unconventional ways of doing things. We each have our unique gifts and talents, so if I can help a child or adult regain mental peace and the ability to tell their story, bringing deliverance, freedom, healing, and salvation, then that's a pretty good day in my humble opinion. It's all a matter of prayer, humbly approaching the throne of grace, as little children do unhindered by the cares of the world.
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