he speaks to our hearts

Tonight I did a Pampered Chef show with Corrie, my sister-in-law so we had to drive to Vernonia. It was SUCH a beautiful drive. Ya know, we really live in a pretty place! The maple leaves are turing into bright yellows and reds and we were hoping one would land through the sun roof as we drove in the warm sun toward Corrie's. Of course we had to sing "At the Cross, because that's become they're favorite hymn, lately and I turned the opportunity into talking about how great it is that God made so many pretty things outside. I'm sure my kids thoughts I was nuts in some ways because I was being silly with them, but they never complain when you come down to their level and "become as a child" :) The Expedition was my spaceship because the sound of the sunroof opening and closing reminds me of an airplane taking off. (I know... I'm a dork but... I entertain the kids!) I even had Talia lifting up her arms and screaming as we counted down to BLAST OFF! ha ha

It was just a beautiful day. Plain and simple. I really enjoyed being with my kids.

The perfect ending to the day was...

...On the way back Caleb told me (randomly) that the reason he likes to carry money in his pocket is so that when we see someone poor, he can give it to them. (awww) So, knowingly, I used this time to instill a deeper foundation in his little heart of our loving Father. I told him, "Caleb, that's good! I'm proud of you for feeling that way! But you know sometimes you don't know who IS poor or who needs the money. Ya know those people we see begging? Sometimes they aren't even poor." I explained to him that "poor" people can even look like us, and we don't always know that they need money unless we ask God to tell us. "We just say- God- who can I give this money to? Who needs it? And he will tell you."
Caleb obviously asked how he tells us. I said "Have you ever heard of the Holy Spirit? Well, the Holy Spirit is a part of God too. (Like the egg: yolk,white, shell but all part of the egg=trinity). He speaks to our heart. And everytime you ask him, he will tell you because he WANTS you to be helpling people". It was such a great teaching moment. I love those times and I never want to take them for granted. I want Caleb (all of my kids) to know that God IS GOD! He is faithful and powerful and he DOES speak! So, I also said, "Think of all of the times we forget to ask God what he wants us to do. Isn't that sad that there may be something we should be doing but we don't even know about it?"
Now, I want you to know that as we were talking about it, he was getting it. He was very capable of understanding. How much more should we be "understanding" and doing this same thing? :) I'm totally reminding myself here too!

So, I had a good prayer time, after dropping the boys off with their Grandma and just Talia and I driving the rest of the way home. I had Jeremy Riddle playing in the background, worshipping along with me and I felt so.... I guess it was just the presence of God. How else can I explain it? I always take these special times with Caleb and at his level of understanding, lead him to what I feel like God wants me to say to him. How special if you ever get, no- TAKE the chances to do this with your children. It was a perfect moment to follow up with a heart to heart prayer for our kids and Derek and I.