Day 51: Run on

Before the church service starts every week, there's a fifteen-minute kids worship time. The children gather around the worship leader in a circle and he plays kids songs on his guitar. Usually the songs involve hand motions or jumping or spinning, and it's a fun time. Colette and I wanted to encourage Rex to participate, so in past weeks we would hold him, at the edge of the circle, to observe. Then we'd gradually step into the circle and move a little, you know tap our feet or sway gently.

Rex would watch Asia as she sang and bopped her way through the songs. Eventually he didn't want to be held anymore, so he'd stand on his own, next to Asia. Then he started moving to the music, imitating the song leader best he could. There's one song that goes, "What can keep His love away? Nothin', nothin' absolutely nothin'," and on the nothin's you waive your finger back and forth. That was Rex' breakthrough move and he's great at it. All this time, Colette or I would be standing next to Rex, reassuring him by our presence that he was okay.

But all that changed last week when Asia led him by the hand to the circle. Rex went right with her and we stayed out to see how it would go. He looked at us a couple times to make sure we were near, but he mostly tried to keep up with the motions. And then today when Rex got into the room where the service is held, he ran straight from the back to the front and into the circle, all by himself. Then he called out to Asia to join him, and when she did, he grabbed her hand and held it until the song needed the use of their hands. We don't know exactly what's going on in our kid's hearts during these worship times, but it's wonderful to see them running toward it. Run on, young ones, and meet with God.