Currently Listening Jars of Clay By Jars of Clay see related

So I finally have something worth blogging about.

I MET ROBERT MUNSCH!!! 

My life seems just that much more complete now.

And I felt like such a little kid sitting in the midst of 7-12 year old kids. It rocked.

One last thing....check out the new video. This girl is an amazing performer.

That's all I got.

                                                                    I love being happy.

Currently Reading The Secret Life of Bees By Sue Monk Kidd see related

Before you read this, go to the bottom of the page and watch the video. If its not working then go here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKxY2-kjIDI

Go on.

I loved this song the moment I first heard it and since then it has come to mean a lot to me. Especially the months preceding my trip to Africa and even more now. I learned that its my good friend from SCOM, Maddalitso's, favorite song and Jane and I sang it on our way to the airport our last day in Malawi.
It symbolizes so much for me.
God is so real in every part of this world, even though it may not seem like it and to me, this video shows how real worship is and that it changes lives.
I like how you never fully see any of the band member's faces in the video. This song isn't about them. Its about people worshipping God and glorifying His name - not their own.

I see a glimpse of the way God intended the world to be:

ALL his Children singing Glory. HE REIGNS.

I know that what you're about to read has been said so many times and has become quite the cliche statement especially among people of the young adult/adult variety, but I don't care.

I wish I was a kid again.

I gave the 3-4 and 5-6 year olds a balloon as part of a game during class today and all they had to do was, with a partner, keep it from touching the ground. It was a hit! They were laughing, screaming, jumping, running, and having the time of their lives. Any other day, I would have considered this chaos and tried to quiet them done in fear that we were disturbing the rest of the library, but I didn't even think to. In fact, I joined right in.

There is something so magical about the simplicity of a child's imagination. Sometimes it makes me wish that I didn't grow up in a society where entertainment has to come in the form of a television or something that involves a huge presentation just to catch our attention.

Children take a simple balloon and they're entertained for hours. No lights or flashy presentations.

I wish playing dress-up was still a regular activity I took part in with my friends. I wish I could take a blank piece of paper and no matter what I drew or wrote, it would be a work of art my parents would proudly stick on our fridge.

I wish I was a kid again.

And I think that's why I love working with kids so much. I thrive off their simple intelligence and perspective on life. They're not afraid to say what they mean and people will always want to answer their questions because they know it leads them to a deeper understanding about humanity and the world around them.

But one thing I know for sure and what gives me such comfort and peace is knowing that I can be a Child of God no matter how old I am.

Currently Reading The Four Loves By C.S. Lewis see related

I've had the priviledge of getting to know a 7 year old girl named Allie. She is such an amazing little girl and so wise for her tender age, that it makes me want to be her best friend. Here's an example why:

Allie: I don't want to be on a team with any boys.
Me: Why not? Don't tell me you believe in cooties.
Allie: Because they're weird.
Me: Oh, just wait til you're older and you think they're all sooooo cute.
Allie pauses with a small smirk on her face, then says: They're only cute until they open their mouths.

I laughed so hard and asked her if she really was 7. Wow. She's so awesome and it seems that everytime I see her mom (who works at the library) she has a new story about what Allie said or what Allie did.

I asked every class the first day what kinds of things they could do to be a hero and wrote them down. All of the other kids said some of the typical things I expected to hear like, 'clean my room', 'play with my sister', or 'share my toys'. Allie's response: 'Help stop pollution'. And she just recently broke her leg and when her mom asked if she still wanted to come to the library program she said, 'No, I think I'll just go to VBS to learn about God.'

I always look forward to seeing her and finding out what other brilliant things she has to say. Its kids like this that are going to create the most change for their generation.

Oh, AND she cut 8 inches of her hair off and donated it to make wigs for people with cancer. She's 7! Unbelievable.

I want my kids to be like her.