scene 1
little buddy sits munching her cereal. i'm cutting up some fruit, subconsciously counting the minutes.. ahh, here we go: 'can i sit in lappie?' just a minute, let me finish this. i pull my stool up to the little table, and she crawls up. there's no sound but crunching for awhile (we are not morning people around here), and i try to get up. protests. my to-do list stares me in the face, tempting me to say, 'i can't hold you all day, lu. i need to do some stuff.' sometimes i give in, sometimes i don't. but when i don't, i'm rewarded by snuggles and grins and the warmth of a little heart that really wants nothing more than to be close to me. stuff can wait =)
scene 2
since turning four, c has joined the four and five-year-old routine at our church. instead of going straight to their classes, they stay with us in the service till the offering, then go to children's church. it's been three weeks now, but when i take hold of her hand, standing on a chair between us during worship, i still tear up. both of the girls have been with us on various occasions, so it's not that, but before it was always temporary. now she is here to stay. yes, this is what it's all about - your children, still young but growing, with you, taking their place beside you in praise of our great God. they're not meant to always be relegated to childcare so that you can concentrate, though i'm thankful for those wonderful servants. may the Lord grant that each of our precious ones becomes wholly a part of the family of faith.
