Last weekend we were invited to help celebrate a two-year-old’s birthday. I cannot call him Baby Rexton anymore because he is, well, two years old. More importantly, he is growing by leaps and bounds. And I’m not just talking in girth or stature. He is growing in wisdom and understanding as well, I do believe.
On average, I see this little guy about once a month. If I’m lucky, twice a month. He knows who I am when he sees me. It used to be that he would acknowledge me with a smile. A grin, actually. Now that he is talking, he calls my name. And it just melts my heart! I never had children of my own. And I haven’t regularly been around little ones when they are first learning to say words. But I have observed, and I could be wrong, but it seems that many first words are said or repeated as a question. Apple? Tractor? Truck? There’s something else I noticed when I was back home a couple of weeks ago. Something that Rexton said and did when he saw me sit at the kitchen table, in order to have an important conversation with his mom and grandma for awhile. And it’s something that has had me pondering ever since. He climbed up into the chair across from me, folded his hands, and said, “Pray?” Did he think it was suppertime? There was no food on the table. It was then that I looked down and saw that my own hands were folded as if I was ready to pray. Hmmm. He was observing too. Precious. So I began wondering … is this a normal or comfortable pose or posture for me? Do I move into this prayer posture naturally? Do I have other natural postures or poses of which I am unaware? What words and gestures are young people observing and learning from me? What practices or rituals might others observe me doing and find themselves prompted to ask their own questions? O Lord, we give you thanks for questions, insights, wisdom, understanding, and growth. In others. And in ourselves. Amen. Grace and peace … --Pastor Pat
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