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Psalm 8:2
Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger.
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I had been walking down the hallway towards my room when I heard some familiar noises: the sounds of the some of the kids from the Sunday school class that I took turns running once a month.
"Beth! Beth! Beth! Beth-y!" high-pitched voices screamed at me, mixed in with some very laboured breathing and the clambering of small feet. I stuck a smile on my face and turned around with my arms wide open.
"Hey guys," I laughed as the two smallest children, Maxwell and Kora jumped onto me, letting their tiny voices shriek until I felt my ears begin to ring from the noise. The five others stood in a circle around me, in the wide, green-carpeted hallway that would lead into the dining area. They were all chattering away in variously excited and glee-filled tones before I let out a loud yell. The boys- Nelson and Ryan- were giggling at the look on my face (I presumed) as I frantically tried to release the Kora from her tight hold on a chunk of my hair that she was yanking on. Maxwell frowned at this and began to scold the little girl, poking a finger into her fleshy cheek with a big pout.
"Ko-a (Kora) leggo, she hurtin'." the speech impediment that the toddler had was beyond adorable. I would have pinched his cheek if I hadn't been in so much pain.
"Shhhh." It was one of the only sounds that the two year old blonde girl could make, along with "ma" and "ba". I could imagine that her father was having a very difficult time with the fact that she could not yet make the "da" noise.
By the time I'd pulled her hands away from my head- and sat down in the hallway with the eight kids sitting on me, or around me- the three girls who'd been talking amongst each other for the whole debacle, finally spoke up.
"Bethany! MacKenzie says we might go swimming! Really? Can we?" Sarah was the first to squeal, her little seven-year old body squirming with excitement, and then MacKenzie joined in, Julia shrinking back with a shy smile. I put an arm around her small body and tugged her into my lap, kissing the top of her head. She snuggled against me as I answered the question,
"Depends on what your Mum and Daddy say. We got lots of pool space to go around if you wanna join." I laughed with a wink, allowing the bad thoughts that wanted to spill out to be barricaded by the kids' questions. They were rapid-fire.
"Can we fish?" Ask your parents.
"Can we hike?" Ask your parents.
"Can we rock climb?" Ditto what I said before, Sarah.
"Can we go to the beach?" There's no beach here, Kenzie.
"Can we eat?" When it's time for everyone to eat, sure.
"What colour is the slide?" Green.
"How about the monkey bars?" Green.
"And the swings?" Does it matter, Nelson?
"I'm collecting data." The swings are green, too, Nelson.
"Canna play?" Don't see why not, Maxy.
"Ma? Ba?" Of course, Kora.
"Can we stay up real late until Jesus comes back?" You wish, Ryan.
YOU ARE READING
A Girl's Heart
Spiritual•••••• "Beth." he mumbled, fiddling with his blue tee shirt, then reaching back to scratch his neck and but deciding against it and going back to fiddling with the hem of the fabric, "I... I meant it. It wasn't a mistake. I really, really like you,"...
