She walked into church with just minutes to spare before the service commenced.
Her head hung down with despair. She averted all eye contact and last minute smiles of welcome from those already seated in the pews.
Last night he said the words no wife should have to hear, can bear to hear.
Weeping may stay for the night….~Psalm 30:5
(but does joy really come in the morning?)
And yet she had made the effort to go to church.
She didn’t know what else to do with herself that morning. She made some tea and toast but she couldn’t swallow anything. They stuck in her throat. Instead of forcing down the food, she splashed her face with water, put on her regular Sunday uniform of black dress pants and a blouse and pulled out of the driveway.
Their driveway.
Their house.
The house they had made into a home…together.
Often, decisions made in haste lead to regret so when an elder tapped her on the shoulder to ask, “Could you take over the young children’s program? There’s no one else here who can do it,” she just stared at him blankly, wishing she had never left home.
How could she teach children? today? All she wanted to do was be invisible, possibly die in her seat, but there was hope–hope that a word of comfort might be given to restore her mind…even her marriage. The last thing she could face was a group of exuberant three to six year olds.
But the elder had already walked away, grinning that he had found a replacement so quickly. He waved to the minister to say that all was okay. The children could be dismissed for children’s time.
She rose quickly from her pew. Too quickly maybe, for she felt light headed and she thought she might not be able to bear her own weight. The weight of her despair.
Getting to the children’s worship room first, gave her the opportunity to grab a story, any story, from the story shelf. It wasn’t the correct story for this Sunday but it would have to do.
Each little child entered the room, and in turn they smiled at her.
She felt their instant, unconditional love. Love only a child can give.
Some little ones had lost a few front teeth over the winter and she noticed that they placed their tiny, pink tongues through the gap. She remembered doing the same thing as a child; she could almost feel the feeling of her bumpy gums.
The memory of her happy childhood flooded her soul with warmth.
Others had only their baby teeth which always reminded her of mini Chiclet gum. Their little bellies bulged like tiny piglets and they squealed for her attention. Someone had a new kitty cat. Another had a booboo and a princess bandaid.
They always began circle time by singing “Jesus Loves Me”. The little ones sang it out from memory and she heard herself singing the old familiar verses one by one.
Stress melted from her body. Jesus loved her too!
Then it was time for the little ones to pick a favourite song. Madison was the first to raise her hand. “Could we sing ‘John, John the Leprechaun’?”
Why not?
So they did.
John, John the Leprechaun went to school with nothing on
Teacher said, “That’s not fair! Give him back his underwear!”
Out of the mouths of babes! Everyone laughed. The children wiggled and giggled.
She wiggled and giggled too
until she had to start singing “This is the day. This is the day that the Lord has made” in order to regain control.
They sat still like little statues listening as she told the story of how once, by the seashore, Jesus had asked Peter if he loved Him. Three times Jesus asked; three times Peter affirmed his love for the Master.
A story about love and forgiveness. A story about second chances.
And second chances are all about new beginnings. Jesus asked Peter to feed His sheep and He gave him the keys to the kingdom.
Her randomly picked story was full of life. Life-giving water for her parched and thirsty soul.
As little hands reached up to her for a parting blessing, she tried not to cry but that day,
in that room,
after that hell of a night,
their precious little heads were baptized anew by her tears.
God had used these cherubs to minister to HER that day.
Let the little children come to me…
For the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.~ Matthew 19:14
Some days are hard. Some days after nights like that, are harder still but God wants us to follow Him and be where we can receive His blessing.
Don’t give up.
Don’t give in.
Don’t stop reading the Bible.
Keep bombarding the throne of grace with your prayers, your frustrations your requests.
And never forsake the fellowship of believers even if those believers have no front teeth, chubby tummies and like to sing “John, John the Leprechaun.”
With every blessing,
Kelly
