Our treasured roly-polys / snails.
This morning was a lovely morning, cooler and shadier than usual – perfect for playing outside. The boys were in the backyard soon after breakfast, still in their pajamas, just playing in their magical world. I sat out there reading and writing, playing referee every once in a while but mostly just enjoying the way they imagine and play together. They were building towers out of dirt and rocks, fighting bad guys, and “painting” the swing set with chalk. I thought they were mostly unaware of my presence until I heard a scream, “MOOOOOMMMM, come quick!!!” Every mother panics at this and I ran to their side as quickly as my pregnant body would take me. As soon as I got there, I saw them both crouched down on the upper level of the play set staring at something underneath one of the stairs. With the brightest eyes and the most intense voice, D (our 4-year-old) says, “We found roly-polys” (which were really snails). Of course, it was all I could do not to burst out laughing at my intense kiddos. I said, “Should we take a picture?” and D says, “Yes, and let’s send it to daddy.” So I ran to get my phone so we could snap and send and I thought about the preciousness of this moment – in fact, I thought about the worship of this moment. When I returned, nothing about the scene had changed except for maybe my heart. Both boys were still crouched, the roly-polys/snails were still there, and the air was still one of awe. I asked D, “Who made those snails?” and he said, “God”. That was it. God was praised for His marvelous creation. God was given credit for His snails on the play set. The picture was taken and sent to daddy and the boys went back to “painting”.
Lord, thank you for the simplicity of children. Thank you that their entire world stops for your snails. Father, let me not miss the wonder You have put in all the parts of my day. Give me the simple eyes of children to see You and praise You. Amen
His Stirrings 