Just In Case You Ever Wonder...

They are listening.  Always.

Recently I have been amazed at what my little boys have been saying with regards to church.  These people seriously repeat phrases that they hear while sitting in church.  Funny, because it seems to me that they are way to busy wiggling, giggling, pestering, or on a good Sunday coloring to process anything.  Boy am I wrong!

First there's William.  About a month ago, he held up his pizza crust and tore it in half.  He said, "Peace of God.  Cup of Salvation.  Thanks be to God."  And just last week, he initiated a conversation with his father about strangers.  He told Chris, "You shouldn't talk to strangers because you don't recognize their voice.  You should run away from them."  Seems like good advice.  Do you recognize it?  William's heard it many times in the atrium.

When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.

-John 10:4-5

John frequently holds his juice cup in the air and says, "This is my blood.  Thank you for PopPop."  Where did that come from??  (Incidentally, this kid comes to the altar every Sunday and when he gets a blessing instead of Eucharist, he cries out "need some.")

And then in an innocent conversation about our recent mayoral election, I asked the boys if they knew our mayor's name.  Daniel replied with, "Barak, our president; Robert, our governor; and Sam, our mayor."  Straight from the Prayers of the People, my friends.

So to all you parents out there struggling to just get your children into the pew...to get them to sit still...to get them to listen...know that they are listening.  They are listening to far more than we assume!

PS - All the pictures are from sweet Bexie's baptism this Sunday.  So fun to celebrate a special day with the Cunningham/Thomas family!!  Congrats Bexie!