Sloppy Joes and Jesus

Reagan

Wednesday nights at New Hope are probably so different than any other church out there that it's nearly impossible to comprehend. So, don't try to compare this with what you know. Just take it in for all its beauty.

Sweet tiny Reagan (above singing with our Praise Team) is talkative and animated and all things uber cute. She brought a friend with her tonight. Sammie Joe is like a lighter blonder Reagan, but ten seconds with the two of them together shows you that they are indeed kindred spirits.

I used the story of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10) for their Bible story time. It's not a hard thing to teach about a "wee little man" but it's important to make sure they understand that Jesus loved Zacchaeus in spite of his sin. I used the Scripture to help them understand that God offers us all a new beginning. We broke into two groups and cleaned and organized their craft room in preparation for next week.

When it was time to close I brought the girls together and asked if they'd ever had anyone make fun of them like Zacchaeus had. I heard an older girl tell of one boy who rode the bus and was called a derogatory term because of his gentle nature. It's heartwarming to hear these sweet girls react with kindness toward the boy. Then Sammie Joe raised her hand: "OOOHHH!! Mrs Bunny!! OOOHHH! There's this boy at school! And! Well, he...he... calls me 'Sloppy Joe' instead of 'Sammie Joe!' Well, every person in the room over the age of 12 had to stifle a bit of laughter. Sammie Joe said, "I know, it's really funny, but, it hurt my feelings."

Joy, laughter, sadness, and understanding all comes together in wisdom when Jesus is at the center. I love our Child 2 Child girls. There are none like them and God loves them soooo dearly.