Lessons from a 2-yr old

It was sometime after the third nursery kid started screaming that I turned to the other leader and parent in the room and said, "I thought Sunday was supposed to be the day of rest!" I get home from work around 1 in the morning and then am up at 7:30 to get ready for church. Sunday afternoons are great when I'm not working, but when I am working? Let's just say that I've mastered sleeping in my chair at work.

But there were some good moments today. I am always so impressed at the kindness these little toddleroos show to each other. Sure they hoard toys and steal goldfish off of another's plate when they aren't looking, but often I will catch them handing toys to other kids that aren't as involved in playtime or, as was the case today, showing compassion for a kid who is having a bad day. I ended up with three girls in my lap because one of them brought a book to this other little girl who was missing mommy.

I think there is alot I could learn from nursery, but here are two things I thought I would share with you:

(1) Always leave things nicer than you found them.

Not only do the kids love to put away all of their toys, but they are also very efficient at finding little scraps of paper that were previously left behind and putting them in the garbage. A great lesson to be learned here. How often do we go somewhere or borrow something and leave it/return it in worse condition? And could this principle even be adapted to the people who surround us? Could we act in such a way that a person is better off having known us? Just some things I've been thinking about.

(2) Be nice to everyone.

This is such an easy concept, but hardly practiced enough. How many marriages would be saved, families united, political problems solved, wars avoided, accidents prevented (the list could go on and on) if we would just be NICE??!

Being a nursery leader is probably the calling that everyone dreads receiving. I have to admit that I wasn't all that thrilled myself. But I've noticed that I am developing a special relationship with these sweet children and things that should have me pulling my hair out really don't bother me that much (a lot of why being set apart is so important, I'm sure.) And if nothing else, it is nice to be reminded of the simplistic nature of a child.