17 October 2007

All God's Critters

This is the article I wrote for our church Newsletter this week. If it hadn't just happened a few hours ago, I might have some distance and have written it a little better, but it goes out first thing in the morning. Enjoy.

Every Wednesday night at 5:45 p.m., I take on the most fun part of my job. I meet in the elevator lobby with 5 little girls and we head to Music Time. These girls are 2 and 3 years old, and I can only remember once that we’ve had a boy in the class – this is one of those groups that just has a lot of girls in it!

But that isn’t why it is my favorite time. It is my favorite time because I learn as much about my own journey of faith from them as they are learning about music from me. Wednesday night we worked through some songs we are practicing (look for them to sing in worship soon!), and then we moved on to a new song that is based on a book (or – more likely – the other way around) called “All God’s Critters Got a Place in the Choir.”

All God’s critters got a place in the choir –

Some sing low, some sing higher,

Some sing out loud on the telephone wire,

And some just clap their hands

Or paws

Or anything they got.

The song goes on to articulate how all of the animals, from the bumblebees and the crickets to the birds, the cats, the cows and the hippopotami, every creature has a special place in the choir.

The more we sang and the more the girls came alive, the more I thought about you. There are so many things going on right now that the staff is encouraging you to join: Sunday School, Worship, Vespers, Word Sharks, Bazaar, Fall Festival, Living Pictures, trips, events, JourneyKidz, Oasis, and the list goes on and on …. We don’t expect you to join them all. But we do want to help you find your “place in the choir.”

We are part of creation. Part of our purpose on this earth is to sing praises to our creator. Perhaps you aren’t a soprano that can belt out chart-topping notes. Maybe you aren’t a deep bass that holds the whole tune together. But you have a place in the choir. Are you singing?

The girls and I talked Wednesday night about music and animals and animal sounds. And we talked about how God loves all the animals and us, too. We are learning to “Celebrate, Celebrate, Celebrate Him.” We are learning to say, “Thank you God for Everything.” And we are beginning to understand that “My Best Friend is Jesus” and that that requires us to Love, Serve, and Thank him. Those are all part of being in the choir.

Yes, there is a lot to do around here. But if we do it only out of obligation, we haven’t yet found our place in the choir. We need to use the gifts we have been given by the Creator to sing. Sing with your stitching, or your cooking, or your cleaning. But sing! Sing to the Creator God who taught us to Celebrate. Sing to say Thanks.

But mostly, sing because you love your God.

Where is your place in this choir? Which “critter” are you? The one with the jaybird squawk, getting little praise when compared to the sweetly singing bluebirds? Or the honeybee, who keeps the middle on track but is barely heard? Or the ones who just clap their hands … or paws … or anything they got?! Your place in the choir can only be filled by you. Where is God calling you to sing?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

ERIN MILLER!

Hey - I'm actually supposed to be working right now. But - I'm just excited to find this - via Kari's blog. So- I need to say "HEY Girly-girl!" Following is my email. Send me an email - or you shall have to just bear the consequences! (or is it bare?)

Cyndi Fusek (Morris)... or rather Cyndi-lou-who

cyndifusek@yahoo.com