My littlest princesses...

Little kids are just funny, ya know? You just never know what they're going to do. But you can always count on them bringing a smile to your face. 

Here at the girls' home, we have three little girls that never fail to make me smile:

Genevieve,

Esther,

and Zinnia

These girls have such an innocence and joy about them that can't be missed. Everyday they attend preschool at a local school in the morning and then they come home at lunchtime for an afternoon abounding in whatever adventures their imaginations can come up with. They're such curious and creative little ones that never cease to amaze me in what they find to do. Some days its coloring or playing with clay or drawing on a Magnadoodle; some days its bumper cars with our laundry baskets; some days its "helping" by taking the clean laundry off the clothesline and "washing" it in a bucket of water that my air conditioner drips into or even "cleaning" the outside chairs with dirty water; and some days its just singing multiplication table songs or watching Barbie movies. No matter the adventure or mischief they get into, there's always some kind of joy that can be found in it.

 

Its been sweet watching them as they have grown in the last few months- watching them learn to speak new words (especially in English), learn the ropes of the apartment, and even grow in friendship with the other girls and especially with one another. I love seeing them giggle and play together as they have the opportunity to understand friendship and be the little girls that they couldn't be in an orphanage setting.

 

When I think about them, I can only imagine the smile that must come to their Heavenly Father's face as they laugh and play together. I think about a favorite childhood song that says:

Jesus loves the little children,

all the children of the world.

Red and yellow, black and white,

they are precious in His sight.

Jesus loves the little children of the world.

Oh how true this song must be. I think Jesus holds a special place in His heart for all the children of this world. I think He laughs when they laugh, smiles when they smile, and even cries when they cry. I think He really and truly loves them more than we could ever imagine.

In Mark 10:14-16, it says:

Jesus said to them,

"Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them,

for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God

like a little child will never enter it."

And He took the children in His arms, put His hands on them and blessed them.

What a sweet image. The God of the universe holding His children in His arms. He valued them and knew that their simple, innocent, childlike perspective on life was the key to the kingdom. Too often I forget to have that simplistic view on life. I get bogged down with a million different things that I think are important, but that God must shake His head at. On countless days have I found myself feeling like I need to do a million things but being caught up in playing with my little princesses. I couldn't be more thankful for the reminder that they provide about taking time to enjoy life and the simple pleasures that it provides.

So for today I pray that you would find the faith of a child. May you let your imagination take you to new places and let you recognize and enjoy the simple joys of life. May you walk in faith trusting that you are a child of God and that He wants to take you in His arms, put His hands on you and bless you every day. And at the end of each day after all the busyness and adventures, may you rest peacefully, just as these little princesses are doing, in the knowledge that you are loved and are walking in the steps of the kingdom of God...