It Takes a Village

If you have read any of my blog at all...then you know about my zesty go-for-all-the-gusto-you-can son 4. He is energetic and that is an understatement. He is also convinced that he is a grown-up. He doesn't understand the life of a seven-year-old. This is most likely because he has older brothers and has pretty much been playing I-can-do-anything-you-can-do since he was a baby.

Because I have been at my school for 7 years, many of my colleagues have watched hin grow up and have been listening to stories about him for years. Now that he goes there...they are taking an important role in his formative years. I regularly remind them, "It takes a village....and you're part of his."

The same is true at church. Last week, I couldn't see him in the service. This occasionally happens as he thinks he can (and should) be sitting with his older brothers and the youth group. They usually oblige him and I keep him in my sights so that I can give him the "Mommy eye" if necessary. As I said, I couldn't see him. I made eye contact with ds 2 and his girlfriend and asked them if they saw him. I walked out of the song service looking for him. When I returned ds 1 told me, "he's up in the sound booth." I walked up there and he proudly announced, "I'M RUNNING POWER POINT, MOM!" Kim, the lady who runs our Power Point, smiled and told me he was fine, so I left him there. He ran the power point for the entire service. Afterwards, someone said, "If your dh knew it was ds 4 running his power point slides, he might have been shocked!" True.

The other thing you may have picked up about son 4 from reading my blog is that he is EXTREMELY verbal. This week, he has been talking about how he has a new job at church. He hasn't stopped talking about running Power Point. I kept telling him that Kim might not want him back there. I have been trying to prepare him to sit in the service like normal children...all the while forgetting that he is NOT a normal child!

Today, I caught Kim before the service and told her that he had been talking about it all week....but that it was absolutely understandable and OK if she wanted me to tell him that he doesn't belong in the sound booth. She assured me that he is fine.

Now, Kim is part of his village. I'm not sure she knows it yet...but she is.

It's important, you know. He may remember that she allowed him to take part in ministry one day and that testimony may be what he needs to stay close to Jesus. He may grow up and actually create the Power Points (or whatever we are using then). I don't know...but it HAS made me think about which children are in my village.

Do I do all I can to help nurture them and help them grow? Do I set a good example? Do I speak well? Do I show them that I care?

It doesn't how much we do or do not "love" little children...we are part of someone's village. And it takes all of us to help them become the adults they will one day be.

I'm so thankful for the adults that are in his village....he's a blessed little boy (ahem) I mean "young man"! ;-)