I was blessed to teach the pre-school/kindergarten class at our church for several years. I love that age group (well, for an hour, one day a week!!). The kids were amazing.

One day, one of my students pointed to my husband (John) as he played the piano at the front of the church and said to his mom “I know that guy.” His mother, surprised at this revelation, asked “What is his name?” The young lad, quickly piped up, “That’s Mr. Jill.”

Another time, two of my students entered a restaurant with their parents and saw John and me already seated. The family stopped by our table to chat. One of the little ones, a little bored, spied John’s iced tea glass, shouted “lemon” and immediately drove his hand deep into the glass, intent on grabbing the lemon slice. His parents, aghast, said “We don’t put our hands in other people’s drinks.” The kid withdrew his paw with a sheepish “sorry” and left with his family. After they left, John asked the server for a fresh glass!

(Although he doesn’t admit it, I think John suffers sometimes for being married to me. I was reminded of this challenge to my family and friends when I did one of those silly surveys on Facebook. For this game, the computer “analyzed” your Facebook information and told you what a kidnapper’s ransom note would say if they nabbed you. In my case, the computer said a kidnapper would write this note to my loved ones: “We didn’t realize who we were dealing with. Please help us!” Sounds a bit like O Henry’s short story, “The Ransom of Red Chief,” doesn’t it?)

Anyway, the adorable lemon stealer wanted to buy me a Christmas gift. He (age 4) picked it out all by himself. The gift was so precious and not at all something an adult would look at twice. In fact, some would have probably been offended at the cheap, plastic figure that was supposed to represent Jesus, the Son of God. But, I loved it. You see, it told me that the Kiddo had been paying attention. He got it!!

Little lesson 4 – let the kids select their own presents to give. (Then listen as they explain their choice – they are thinking about things more than we know!)

Love,

Jill (just one of God’s kids)