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Put Some Play in Your Pray

My husband and I exchange links all the time, so I didn't even think before I clicked on the link to photos from a recent Legos convention, but then I saw this t-shirt, I clicked the window closed. That, I thought, is the kind of irreverent shirt that stirs up trouble.

Whoa, I thought. When did I turn into her?

Not that I had a particular person in mind, but more of a type. Specifically, I was thinking about the kind of woman who would have clicked her tongue in disapproval at Aunt Sally.

Great Aunt Sally showed up at family functions with her purse fully loaded. It wasn't full of the hard candies and tissues we found in every other purse. Nope. I tagged along behind the boys, all older than I was, to inspect what Sally had in store for us all this time – dribble glasses, whoopie cushions, and more. She was the star of the show where the kids were concerned. With her help, we drove the adults a bit batty, but everyone, adults included, had a great time with her funny pranks.

This shirt is definitely for the Sally's of the world, people who are sure a smile is more meaningful than a frown, and who can't wrap their minds around a solemn, sad sack the Savior. After all, He welcomed the children.

"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
-Matthew 19:14

If you're Christian, you've heard sermons on this short passage, many of which, in my opinion, miss the point. He didn't just say, "Be like the children." He welcomed the actual children. He wanted to spend time with them.

You know what happens when you spend time with children. Eventually someone has to show off a new skill – a headstand or a cartwheel. Or maybe they burp the alphabet, tell an outlandish story, or demonstrate their fluency in Pig Latin.

Children would almost certainly have made Christ laugh. They're good at that kind of thing. It comes from being joyous.

If you're a particularly lucky adult, you may be joyous too. Sally was, but if you're like me, you probably get caught up in the cares and concerns of adulthood. Bills. Health issues. World events. The list goes on and on. No wonder prayer so often feels like an obligation. With prayer, we carry such heavy burdens.

Maybe every once in a while, we need to approach prayer like the children would – with joy in our hearts and maybe a really awesome knock knock joke. After all, I for one still can't do a worthwhile cart wheel.

You gave us all
the ability to laugh
and the desire to play.
Please help me
to not confuse
taking You seriously
with taking myself
too seriously.
Please help me
to remember
that a laugh and a smile
and a bit of fun
can go a very long way
toward correcting
so much that is wrong
both in me
and in the world.
Help me to rediscover
the childhood joy and spontaneity
with which I once approached
Your world.

-SueBE

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