Grace

"I have this sister Lola, she is small and very funny....." It is amazing how much Lola reminds me of my dear Grace Elizabeth. As she grows and matures, Grace is blooming into more than just a real life version of a British cartoon character. Grace wears her heart on her sleeve. She is easily moved to tears and tenderhearted. One thing that has remained constant for her is her answer to "what do you want to be when you grow up?" She will tell you that she is going to be a missionary.
It started a year or so ago during one of our home school classes. I was explaining about how in some countries they do not allow the Bible or want people talking about Jesus. Then her bedtime prayers were filled with "Lord please help the people of China be able to read their Bibles" I thought how sweet of her to care for others. But always knowing that as a little kid, she would probably change her mind countless times about her future occupation. Grace has not wavered. She might add to it, such as wanting to be a ballerina that travels to other countries so she can tell them about Jesus. The desire grew when she found out about a missionary named Tanaken in Africa living with orphans, she emptied her beloved coin purse and gave it to her. It grew again last week we went downtown so that she could do one of her favorite things, make a wish in the fountain. We passed a homeless person, and she had lots of questions. Later on the walk she found a donation box from the Black Expo seeking funds to help the homeless. She reached in her pocket and put all her coins in (but one saved for the wishing fountain) to help, thinking it would go directly to the same man we passed earlier to get a house.
Lately she has stepped it up a notch. Yesterday she wanted to bury her beloved and very prized "real" bible in the yard. She had a reason for that crazy statement. She would then post a sign above it asking the person to dig up the "treasure" that she buried. When they discovered that it was a Bible, she was convinced that then they would love Jesus and want to follow him. Her heart was open and very set on doing just that. As a mother I gently steered her to a more practical and realistic way of evangelizing :) Because she is a budding artist full of color, I suggested that she might color beautiful pictures and write "God loves you" on them then pass them out to our neighbors. She jumped and squealed at that idea. Then spent the rest of the afternoon coloring and folding. This morning was the moment of truth. She gathered up her cards and some tape and went to each of the neighbors homes and taped the card to their doors.
The Gospel seems so easy and simple through the eyes of a small girl. We try to make it so hard and complicated. It is all about Jesus and His love for us. Here I am trying to teach and raise Grace to be a Godly woman, and she turns and teaches me so much more.