Nurturing Wonder & Awe in Your Kids
"Always be on the lookout for the presence of wonder."
- E.B. White.
When my kids were just small toddlers, I was very intentional about helping them learn about and see God every day. We read stories, we said our prayers, and we talked about our Sunday School church lessons. But something was not just right for their age and level of understanding.
One day, we were on our daily walk and I saw that my son was stopped on the sidewalk, crouched down and looking at something on the ground. As I caught up with the stroller I said, "Ok, let's keep going, we want to go play at the park!" He didn't move. He didn't even look up. He quietly said, "Mom, can you believe God made all of these ants?! I'm watching them carry a crumb."
Wow: was he ever right. God was there, right in front of our eyes.
Wonder & Awe
We still talk about our Sunday School lessons, and read stories, and say our prayers. But every day we also talk about the wonderful and awesome things God has done. The different kinds of birds. The sound the sand cranes make. The way new buds on trees in the spring are a little bit fuzzy. How tulips grow and pop up even in the strangest of places. I’ve realized that it’s not so much about “learning” about God, it’s about seeing Him and then recognizing it. It’s stopping to recognize those “wow” moments that bring us that incredible sense of joy and wonder, and noticing how God truly is right there in front of us. We just have to take the time to see Him.
Kids are so fun. There is wonder. There is awe. They notice everything, and when I take a moment to see the world through their eyes and on their level, I can too.
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