God Sightings

This week was VBS at our church, and Cody and Cordelia loved it all over again. The theme was "Weird Animals: Where Jesus's Love is One-of-a-Kind" and they spent the week talking about how God specially designed each of his creations to be unique—and how their uniqueness makes them beautiful and beloved. And how even when you feel lost in a crowd, God could spot you because he knew every fiber of your being wayyyy before you had a being. :) They came home each day with a new catchphrase, and it was so cute to hear them shout them out at today's end-of-VBS "performance." Patty Platypus (aka Jackie, who runs the religious ed program at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton) did a little call-and-response with them. You could actually hear Cody's voice in the response part. : )

Even when you feel left out…JESUS LOVES YOU!
Even though you're different…JESUS LOVES YOU!
Even when you don't understand…JESUS LOVES YOU!
Even though you do wrong…JESUS LOVES YOU!
Even when you are afraid…JESUS LOVES YOU!

They had a ball.



Below are videos from their performance today. (See Cordelia, above, in full Elaine Benes mode.) Hard to see, but they both sang with gusto (and knew every word, which, no doubt, will happen to JVL and I before too long). But the cutest thing was that "Joey Jackal," actually our seminarian, would do a bit of catechesis each day. He told them to be on the lookout for "God sightings." As Cody and Cordelia explained it to me Monday night, "That's when you see something in nature or in what happens in your day that reminds you of GOD or helps you to see God in something!" So we've been on the lookout, and recounting our "God sightings" at bedtime. They've been interesting, ranging from a sunflower, a giant slug, Hoppy, Bidi, and the kindness of Judy at the bakery, who gives them free donuts. I'm not totally sure that's what Joey Jackal was after, but it's a good habit to get into, anyway. : )

Anyway, watching the earnestness with which they sang their songs was a definite God sighting for me. In the hectic pace of work and family life, it's sometimes hard to see the face of God in each other. And yet — it's also impossible to miss. In Cody's melting, worried eyes and daily self-reporting and curious mind and kind heart; in Cordelia's devotion to her siblings and love of stories and unspeakably beautiful eyes and perfect lips, which as often as not spew lies; in Emma's curls and elbow dimples and the way she pats your back when she hugs you and her joyful proclamation of "OTAY!" when she agrees with you. In the way that C & C cheered for each other today and hugged each other on their way up and back from stage. In the way Emma screamed "JESUS LOVEYOUTOO!" along with the kids. In the way JVL danced around the back of the church hall with her. In the way they immediately started demanding muffins the second they got in the car to come home, having spied them in the bakery bag. : )

I love you kids. All the time. All the way to the moon. And back.