When simple is the new enough.

When it comes to Wednesdays life is busy. This is the day we bring lots of kids to our church to learn God's word, create, and play. This Wednesday ministry is a lot like spinning plates on sticks. Making plans is like placing each plate high in the air and giving each a good spin. You get them all going but like anything in life eventually one will slow down... need another spin... maybe even crash to the ground.

And so I pray... I spin...I look up. Some Wednesdays just need more spinning and this was one of those days.

My young friend and I are assembling a new game when she comes to tell me the news. It seems one of our church vans has had a fender bender and I need to call the next pick up stop to tell them there has been a delay. We send another vehicle to get those kiddos to the church, kids start arriving, and honestly I didn't give it another thought. How bad can a fender bender be right? Let me say this first to ease any fears... no one was hurt. 

As the stories come in and the parents begin to call, it becomes obvious this was more than a fender bender. It was more like a crush which included some spinning, and three shaky girls soon arrived to tell about their experience. We shared hugs and off they went. I called parents to let them know their little ones are safe. As I hang up having assured the last of the worried mommas, I breath in deep and look up in wonder.

It was a small accident, no one was injured, no big deal. But for me well, it's kind of a big deal. For the past few weeks I've found myself praying for protection and safety when it comes to transporting our wonderful children to the church each week. Not the I'm worried about something so I'm gonna hand it over to God sort of prayer. In the quiet mornings I'm being gently nudged to pray protection without any angst or worry. He leads... I pray. Doesn't seem like much to me, and maybe that's the big deal after all. Is it possible that prayer could be this simple?

The day lingers on and the youth are learning to hear God too. We read through a scripture together and I'm challenging them to listen to the leading of His Spirit. I move to the back of the Sanctuary in the quiet, and I'm all wrapped up in wonder for the second time today.

Could hearing God be this simple too?

Sometimes, maybe all the time, following Jesus is just this simple. It's praying when you're being nudged. Listening when you are reading, responding with colors and paint right there on the altar. Can you imagine God in this place? You might tend to think He's somewhere sitting watching His children create, but not me. No, in my opinion God is right there coloring... praying... creating with us. 

From the beginning of time God has been in the thick of it with us. He's not some distant deity trying to decide if our prayers and actions are good enough. Following Jesus is more like plate spinning than I realized... pray... spin... look up. Living enough is just that simple and it leaves me wonder filled!