On Sunday night we attended our church's Christmas production, "God Speaking." It was amazing. The amount of time, effort, and talent put into it was obviously astronomical. We chose to keep Aidan and Mattea with us instead of leaving them in the baby-filled nursery. (Sorry Zane!) My friend Meghann has often spoke to me of the importance of children staying with their parents a,nd Buddy and I have started to do this with great results.
Before it started, Mattea asked us if she could walk up to the front to look at the stage. My friend Sarah was sitting with us and so I said sure figuring we could keep an eye on her even though there were a billion people. All of a sudden she disappears. We were looking for her when Sarah says, "Isn't that your daughter?" Sure enough, this glowing body with bright pigtails is bouncing across the stage. Oops!! I made Sarah go get her. :) I wasn't going up there. It was just in time too because by the time Sarah got up there, a lady was trying to coax Mattea off the stage and all you could see were pigtails bouncing as she firmly shook her head. Sarah had to drag her off. Mattea desperatly wanted to sing and dance up on stage. Hopefully next year!!!
During the program, one of the songs was "Mary, did you know?" Most of you know what a moving song it is and they had set it to scenes from "The Passion." They showed a tasteful amount of the movie, portraying what was needed and one scene it showed Christ on the ground, bloody, and being beaten. Mattea sat straight up and with a gasp said, "What are they DOING to Him?!" She was horrified. I quietly explained as best I could and she, with tears running down her cheeks, asked why He had to die? I again explained and she just sat back and watched, still with tears. Later, they had a scene where a homeless man was led to a makeshift manger by an orphan girl who was to portray Mary with her babydoll as Jesus. (I told you, it was AMAZING.) She left him at the manger and he was sitting in front of it with his head down, sobbing. Mattea whispered anxiously why he was crying. I told her it was because he needed Jesus in his heart. She cried and said "Why doesn't he ask Jesus in his heart? He needs Jesus, Mommy! Can we help him? Please, Mommy, he NEEDS Jesus." Buddy and I were a mess. Her heart was so heavy. It was incredible to watch the Spirit move and yet so painful at the same time. She sat in rapt attention as Pastor Bruce gave the invitation. When we were in the car on the way home, she sat quietly (a miracle in itself) the whole way home still crying silently. When we got home, we asked her why she was so sad. She said because she didn't want Jesus to have to die. Aidan, ever the optimist and little logic, told her that Jesus only had to die once and that it was over now. He was alive so its okay. Mattea then tearfully begged me to pray to God and ask Him to help her know that Jesus was okay and that He was alive. Of course we immediatly prayed over her asking that God reveal Himself to her and comfort her. A few minutes later, she came to us with a big smile saying "I can feel God put His arms around me! I know that Jesus is alive and God told me. I'm so happy!" She went to bed with a smile on her face.
Words can not express what it feels like to know that God has used Buddy and I to position our children to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. We have often prayed that our children would come to accept Christ at an early age and I am believing that it will happen. I believe, with them being in the 3rd generation of christians that there is a special blessing on them. Thank you Father for allowing us to be used by You in bringing Your babies closer to You.
