Moments

At the end of each week, we tack a Sunday.

Sundays that expose us just a little more for who we really are. 

And, I love it. I love the way that they call each other out, refuse to let things fly. "Come on. You can remember my crush's name, but you can't remember the Bible verse?"

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear but a spirit of power, of love, and of self discipline." 

The first of the girls recites it and sits down in triumph and relief. "For God has not given us a spirit of fear but a spirit of power, of love, and of self discipline."

Over and over again, until each of us can do it. 

One by one we wrap each other in truth, twenty-one repetitions of these careful, ancient words.

I can't make them believe them any more than I can make them grow an extra limb. But, I can let them hear it.

Let them hear that fear never has to rule. That, even now, as we stumble our way through the first few weeks of a new school year, they are marked by power, marked by self discipline, marked by love.

Marked by love.

Not by age or by gender or by grade or nationality, but by Love.

As we play in the grass and on my phone, take pictures and pass out gum, we are marked by Love.

And, it is important for them to remember, for this class that wrestles with fear like it is a tangible thing that can be defeated. As if courage is something to be proven and reckless loyalty the highest of virtues.

Important for them to remember that this enemy, this mark on their souls, is overshadowed by something so much greater. That there is a perfect Love that casts out fear.

They could talk about if we sat down for long enough -- if we threw away the question sheets and the clocks and gave their eyes and fingers something else to do. They're smart enough to pull out truths that would blow us away. But, these aren't words kids.

These are pictures kids. Not so little Gryffindors who wrap their theology around memories, moments where the God they've heard about becomes a God that they can see.

So, I am reminded to create moments.

Moments where we spread out paint and cardboard on the cold concrete floor of the camp rec room. Where we sit together on Sunday morning and where they are given permission to "hack" my inst*gram. Because, when we only have an hour and a half, moments matter.