Loving Well

 Only eleven kids this week, but quite a few who are only just coming back after long winter breaks. (One mom just got a job, so they have gas money for coming to church again! Whoot!) Rather than totally discombobulated by the change, they managed to enter this week with a feeling of coming home, of just chilling with family.

These kids love each other and they love each other well. **st*n sat by J*m** during story, spouting out those little wondering statements that come easier to fourth graders than fifth graders, and J*m**, who is the youngest in his family, got a chance to practice his big brother skills. He would grin down at whatever "cute" thing **st*n had said and then glance up at me like, "I was never this little, was I?"

Nine out of eleven in this crew are fifth graders, just on the cusp of middle school. I hear about who they like and who has a crush on who, and, then, the next minute, we find a tree to climb and they totally forget that they are supposed to be anything resembling grown up.

So, (for this week) we laugh and we practice the verse. We climb trees and play hide and seek in the sunshine. (Does it really count as seeking if you know exactly where each child is going before you even close your eyes??) We listen to a lesson, dissect the songs, and spread off into corners to pray - giant stuffed animals in tow. We run and talk and give legs up and hands down. We play tag and catch kids in pretzel holds from behind. And, we run some more. There are a thousand billion words and chairs that are upended to become space ships. Seed pods are thrown while someone draws a picture not three feet away, and we cram as much life and love and learning into an hour and a half as we possibly can.

There are lessons about conviction. But, there are also lessons about why we don't use phrases like, "Move it, Chinese!" even if we are joking, and the plethora of reasons why Jessica doesn't want the boys teasing each other about, "sucking balls," at church, even if it is perfectly acceptable (almost a requirement) to their friends at school. And, lessons about forgiveness and guilt and respect. And, a thousand other things that I have already forgotten, because, in an hour and a half, we can cover a whole lot of ground!