Life through the eyes of children

I love children. Here are some of the reasons why are love them:

1. They are blessing from God.

2. They are innocent, open-minded and so receiving.

3. I love their curiosity and guts to ask or seek to understand things.

  In Mark 10: 13-16 Jesus told His disciples to let the children come to Him and even said anyone who does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it. See that's how significant the character and being of children is, even God sees and speaks of them highly.

This past month I had two experiences with children that cracked me up and made me appreciate children all over again. Well, maybe its just me but hope you will also see the humor.

On Sunday, 3 days ago exactly one week after Father's day my phone rings in the morning as I am preparing to go to church. I see my friend's number flashing and wonder if all is ok because I know that usually around that time she will be on the way to church or already there. As it turned out  she was on the way to church but my niece and nephew had been talking about me between themselves and had actually voted that I should come to see them like tomorrow as per their discussion (so sweet of them that they miss me that much) and so my friend thought it would be lovely if I could talk to each of them for a few minutes. After talking to my 6 year old nephew I was greeted by a 'Happy Father's Day aunt S', from my 4 year old niece. I thought I had heard wrong, but when she repeated it again I knew I had heard right. I could not help laughing. In the background I could hear my nephew shouting ' Aunt S is not a father, or a man she is a woman and besides Father's day was last week'. It made me laugh even more. Despite the continuous comments from my nephew my little niece would not be moved and was insistent on wishing me happy father's day and so I collected myself and accepted my fathers day wishes with love and appreciation. She was one happy little girl and she made my day.

Second story. About three weeks ago I was invited for dinner at my pastor's house. He has got four children, whom although I know have never had the chance to interact much with. M their 3 year old daughter, a gorgeous little girl who in my opinion is the most amusing of all their children, started off by watching me from a distance. With time she moved closer, kind of circling around me as if unsure or deciding something. Finally, curiosity got the best of her and she moved very close to me and began to rub my arm, briefly stopping to look at her fingers and then rub again a little harder each time. The expression on her face as she did this was priceless. 'Gotta rub it off, gotta rub it off ' she seemed to be saying. The way children think about and see things - so precious. She had been wondering why I looked darker that everyone else around and in her mind's eye I think she thought maybe I had painted myself and so she wanted to find out if that color I had painted myself  would rub off. It was only when her mum called out her name amidst bouts of uncontrollable laughter from me and other people in the room that she ran off laughing. I love children - they are a constant source of laughter and happiness usually brightening up an otherwise ordinary day.
 

Does anyone have funny stories about experiences you have had with children? Please feel free to share.

Life's Lessons

Last night I went to an event where Randy Clark of Global Awakening was speaking - powerful man of God. It is something I had been looking forward to and I could not wait to go. We got there me and my three friends and we were very excited. The place was packed, nonetheless we managed to get seats and join in the program.

All went well for me until it got to the time when Randy after praying that the Holy Spirit speak to us, encouraged those who felt that God had given them a word of knowledge for someone to come up and share and then pray for each other. As people shared and prayed for each other, I was suddenly enveloped with a heaviness on my spirit and I just could not seem to be able to pray and so I went and sat down - big mistake. So whilst others prayed for each other  and God moved I was sitting down doing nothing I am ashamed to say. It felt so wrong but instead of fighting the heaviness I felt I let it envelop me. 

Later as we went home my friends were talking about how awesome it had been and how God had touched them, a voice said in my head 'See what you missed. Should have prayed with the others. Now you will never know what you missed'. I knew right then that was the voice of the devil, he had just used his tactic of convincing me to do/not to something and then condemning me and laughing at me for having listened to Him. Yes, I felt very bad and knew that I should have known better and should not have listened to my flesh  and  feelings. The Word its self in Romans 8: 6 warns about setting one's mind on the flesh 'To set your mind on the flesh is death but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace'.

This morning God gently reminded that as His child no longer do I always operate by what I feel for doing so can leave the door open for the devil to come in and rob me of what He has in store for me and steal my joy. Thus my dance with God continues - a lesson learned, a gentle remainder from my Father makes me a little wiser and helps me dance more and more according to His tune, not mine.

A Pleasant Surprise

Did anyone have the pen-pal craze when they were growing up? I did. I have always been a curious and inquisitive person and I was fascinated with communicating with people from different countries and cultures. I would happily use my pocket money to post letters abroad, it was worth it to me. Unfortunately, with most of them we would exchange a few letters and then that was it. I would try writing several letters and if there was no response I knew that was it. Each time that happened I would be disappointed and I would start all over again searching for new ones.I clearly remember pleading with God to give me pen-pals who would continue communicating with me and whom I would eventually meet and I actually wrote it down in the diary I kept then. Well, God answered my childish longings and he blessed me with three pen-pals now more of e-pals with whom I have been communicating with for years. From this I have learnt that God cares about what I want even if its something that sounds silly at times and that no request is insignificant before God. Be specific with God and share with Him all the desires of your heart - big or small - because He cares.

Anyway, two weeks ago I received a surprise phone call from one of my pen pals/e-pals and she was in London for two weeks (she is from Netherlands). We were both so excited and we made arrangements to meet. I went over last week and we spent a fantastic day together sight seeing and catching up. Yes, God has blessed me with wonderful friends from all walks of life and for that I am grateful.

That's my friend in the purple top. She is an amazing person and I am blessed to have her in my life. Girl, thanks for creating time in your hectic schedule to see me.