INSPIRASUNS

Yesterday was our annual “Rally Day” at church. This is the weekend we kick off the start of the new educational semester with Sunday school, adult forum, you know like the new school year, only with Church. It’s kind of a combination picnic and county fair type event. We had a water slide, kiddie pool, Kona Ice truck, (snowcones), fried chicken, along with the mac & cheese and baked bean cook-off competition, frozen t-shirts for the kids, (this was pretty funny to watch), oh and we had fishing on the dock!!! Those of you who know me know I’m pretty glued to a fishing pole whenever the opportunity presents itself! So naturally, I volunteered to help at this station 🙂

Not long after the festivities began, I was on the dock scoping out the bait and the handmade cane poles that awaited the young anglers. It was just moments before our first young parishioner landed on the dock and was ready for action. Before I could even ask if he needed help with baiting his hook, he had reached right into the bucket and grabbed the shrimp and onto the hook, it went and into the water. Ok then, let’s do this, LOL. Sure enough within about two minutes, he’d landed the first fish of the day! The excitement and smiles abound not only with this young fisherman but with the adult onlookers. “I got one, I got one”, “Look he’s got the first fish already”.

Soon, more kids joined the party on the dock. Little girls who had never fished before but were anxious to try. Toddlers barely old enough to say fishing sat patiently with their parents helping to hold the pole. The teens joined the club as well, fresh off the frozen t-shirt activity, yes, they were wearing them! Many a good catch was made for sure, different fish of all shapes and sizes, caught by “kids” of all ages.

As I watched the activity on the dock yesterday, I realized the gift Father gave to us; our children. The innocents of youth, the wide-eyed wonder as they pulled those fish out of the water. The pure unfiltered excitement as their parents took pictures of their catch. The pride they took in telling adults about their success when they came down to ask, “Have you caught anything?”. Words simply cannot describe the feeling of being in the middle of that activity. There was nothing fancy, just a bucket with some shrimp, several handmade cane poles, beautiful sunshine, and children in their purest form.

Father has given us these incredible gifts. He is trusting us to love them and teach them as they grow. Learning about God doesn’t have to be a chore and it’s certainly not difficult. We just need to share with our kids that God is in everything we do. He is there when we are fishing, or when we are eating ice cream, or when we’re sleeping. He’s always with us and I think it’s important to show our children how to let him in 🙂

Thank you Father for the gift of our youth. Thank you for being with us yesterday and for allowing me to continue to be amazed by your creation. May we never take for granted these glorious gifts you provide.

Matthew 19:14
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”