Big Muddy Puddles and Yellow Dandelions

Big Mud puddles and Sunny Yellow Dandelions

I close my eyes, in a moment I am flying high in the sky, observing the earth below me. I am a child, I feel light; I feel free; full of fun, excitement and wonder, I can do anything...absolutely anything.

I open my eyes slowly, reality is not shy; it pushes my childlike reflections aside and once again takes centre stage. Those few carefree moments were all in my imagination, I am in fact a married mum of two, who navigates well through a busy day, multi tasking and juggling diverse roles and responsibilities. For many of us the twists and turns of life carry us far away from the carefree nature of a child. Life experience adds both light and shade to the journey of faith, as relationships along with the successes and failures of life, help to shape and form character.

My son, Nathaniel and I perceive things differently. My own perceptions have developed and formed over 43 years, Nathaniel, however, is only 8 years old. Big Mud Puddles and Sunny Yellow Dandelions (appendix a), captures perfectly, how a child and an adult can interpret the same experience very differently. Children are curious, inquisitive and excited about life; they enjoy learning, questioning and discovering how things work. Westerhoff states that ‘Children live in the world of dreams and visions; they take chances and create. Until we teach them otherwise, they believe they can paint, dance, act, sing’.

Children are naturally loving and trusting, in Matthew 18 Jesus, highlights how the qualities most often found in a child are pleasing to God,

Truly I say to you, unless you repent (change, turn about) and become like little children [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving], you can never enter the kingdom of heav...

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...ver, we should not become more intent on implementing a model, then on hearing from God. We must always leave room for God. Miles states that ‘In our desire to develop learned systems, we too often create complex, impenetrable forests.’ Relying too heavily on theories and models, may restrict the Holy Spirit, from moving freely. God knows every child, He created each one on purpose, if we ask, God, will lead us and give insight into the needs of the children we are working with. We must continually rely upon God to direct us, particularly as we plan and prepare to teach other’s about God. It is the Holy Spirit who convicts and draws an individual to the Lord, we must make room for Him and also allow children the freedom to be children, to explore scripture and discover God in their own way enabling them to develop a lifelong, personal relationship with God.