Day 61 - Something Amazing Happened

Last Thursday evening while I was reading "3D Terrors: Sharks!" to the kids at bedtime (I know, not really a bedtime story, but they pick them, I just read them) Cameron asked me if a person could live inside a whale.  I said, "Most likely a whale would not swallow a person because most whales eat really tiny things called krill."  Cameron says to me, "Well, my friend Caleb told me about a man who lived inside a whale shark.  Do you think that is true?"  My response:  "Hmmm, maybe he is talking about Jonah and the Whale.  It's a Bible story about a man swallowed by a whale.  I will read it to you tomorrow morning."  Later on in the shark book there was a little excerpt about a man who is rumored to have lived inside of a whale shark for 15 hours.  Cameron and I exchanged a knowing glance and smile, him knowing I was "wrong" and me knowing I had just been caught being "wrong".

The next morning, before I even had time to rub the sleep out of my eyes, Cameron appears with the Children's Bible and asks me to find the whale story.  Olivia, Cameron and I read "Jonah and the Big Fish" about six times before Cam left for school.

This brings me to the amazing thing that happened.  It happened at about 10:40 this morning at church.  Our pastor started a new children's sermon activity where each week a child brings home the mystery box.  The next Sunday that child gives the box to our pastor with an item from their house inside.  This morning the child just so happened to put none other than a whale in the box!  When I saw that whale I thought, "What are the odds?"  My children were sitting right next to Vicki (the pastor) when she took out the whale and their faces lit up.  (Note to self:  Bring your camera to church from now on!)  Then she said, "Does anyone know the story of Jonah and the Whale?"  Cameron started nodding his head and smiling so big and then searched the congregation for a knowing glance and smile from me.  

I have been hoping for this moment for over a year.  A moment when my children make a connection in church.  Don't get me wrong, they love church and enjoy Sunday School immensely.  Yet there was always something missing, until today!  I was so happy that this amazing moment happened right before my eyes.  Cameron stared in wonder and with sincere interest at the pastor as she told the story he had just heard me tell days earlier.  I work with the video team and Phil and I were cracking up at the faces he was making.  I was bursting with pride.  Then, my darling daughter picked her nose and ate it right before she held hands with Vicki for the Lord's Prayer.  Awesome!

So, I wanted to capture the expressive faces of my children today.  I think I did a good job.

Sorry for the long story.  I took people at their word when they said they like to read stories about and see photos of my family :)