Rachel Johnson

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Rain for Roots

 Book Review, Music  Comments Off
Jun 232012
 

The past month, we’ve been listening (and listening and listening…) to a new album Scott discovered called Rain for Roots: Big Stories for Little Ones. This compelling collection of ten folk songs teaches important Biblical truths with simple and lovely lyrics written by Sally Lloyd-Jones from her Baby’s Hug-a-Bible. Before we even heard the music, we were excited about this album because we adore Jones’ Hug-a-Bible in our home. We spend time reading it with Eleanor nearly everyday. This is one of the best Bibles I have seen for babies in that it is God-centered and Grace-centered, while also making the stories relevant for little ones. Not an easy feat! Consider the story below, “Jesus stops a storm”:

The questions tell the story, while engaging little readers; and the answer to all the questions is Jesus – Lord of all. The text goes on to apply the story to us saying, “He will answer when you call.” Not only is the text spot on, the illustrations are colorful and engage Eleanor in the stories. For all these reasons, we have been huge fans of this Bible and Sally Lloyd-Jones. You can understand our excitement when we heard she was collaborating with Sandra McCracken (Indelible Grace) and other musicians, Ellie Holcomb, Flo Paris, and Katy Bowser on the Rain for Roots album.

Scott is a long time fan of Sandra McCracken and the other musicians from Indelible Grace, so he knew musically this album would be sophisticated, artistic, and God glorifying. He was right. Though simple enough for little children to sing (the artists’ own children sing on the album), the music will draw your heart out for God no matter your age. I pray as Eleanor grows, the beauty of these songs will help her little soul absorb truths about God and draw her heart out for Him. Through God, good music has the power to do that. Sandra McCracken writes a bit about this in her commentary at Christianity Today:

“…what a significant moment that is in a child’s life when he or she can absorb art and beauty by way of these clever little soul vehicles called melodies. This tender moment in a young life reveals something else about us adults, too. What we believe about a child, and the person who that child is becoming, is significant. As Charlotte Mason says ‘A child is a person.’ Children are not just babies becoming people, they are already people. In this way, we hold and relate to them with honor and respect. On one hand, we don’t need to idolize them in preciousness. Nor do we need to belittle them for their weakness.

This reality is a great equalizer, and it makes me want to consider that honor even in the hope that the simple songs they sing and memorize should also be great songs. Strong, singable melodies. Rich, meaningful truths. Beauty for its own sake. Joy for its own sake. And by all means, we hold in view that the songs honor the great truth of God that shapes their character as they sing. The same thinking pertains to those of us who write music intended for children, or to those who teach music to kids in schools or churches—the same high standards of excellence still apply. As C. S. Lewis wrote, ‘A children’s story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children’s story in the slightest.’ The same is true for music.”

How I love singing these songs to Eleanor when we play and as I rock her to sleep. As I sing them to her, the melodies and lyrics set my mind of Christ and engage my heart in worshiping Him. I have a feeling this album will be well loved in your home as well.

You can download a free song to sample and buy the entire album (including a digital booklet with lyrics & chord charts) for $8.99 at Rain for Roots.

Echoes of Eden Overview

 Elementary, Summer  Comments Off
Jun 152012
 

This summer in Elementary Crossing Kids, Emily Powell and I have partnered up to write our summer curriculum, called: Echoes of Eden: Traces of God and Truth in Children’s Literature. We titled it “Echoes of Eden” based on this quote from Jerram Barrs:

“All great art will contain this element of being an echo of Eden:
Eden in its original glory, Eden that is lost to us, and Eden restored.”

This summer, we want children will examine the way The Gospel helps us to make sense of all of life—including art. Each Sunday, kids will enjoy high quality children’s literature, then search for places where the beauty of the Gospel intersects and points to the greatest story of all. Kids will also discover how to engage with our culture in winsome ways.

The Fallen Condition Focus of Echoes of Eden
We live in a broken, fallen world. As a result, nothing is or works the way that it is supposed to. Literature reflects this sense of loss. Creation is tainted, people are often destructive, and even the best things in life are flawed. We are a glorious ruin; most literature reflects this and includes a problem to be solved.

The God-Centered Focus of Echoes of Eden
Just as most stories acknowledge brokenness, they also reflect a longing for redemption. Dragons are slayed, problems are solved, battles are won. Yet, even the most compelling of resolutions pales in comparison to the greatest story ever told. Human solutions are incomplete. Heroes are flawed. We need a Savior who can rescue and redeem in ways that we simply cannot. As Tolkein and Lewis tell us, our myths contain echoes of the true story of who we are and God’s redeeming work, but the Gospel is the one true myth where pain and evil are banished completely and eternally.

The Faith Response of Echoes of Eden
We live in a world where life is often compartmentalized. We view some things as spiritual while other things are secular. Some things are “good” while other things are “bad.” According to Genesis 1, a human being is the only being on earth whose essence related both to the physical and spiritual world. We’re fully both. God’s original purpose for humanity was to image God by ruling over, working in, and developing God’s created world. As Abraham Kuyper states, “There is not one square inch that God does not cry out, ‘This is mine! This belongs to me!’” This includes art and culture. In this unit, children will learn how to use quality literature to notice Gospel themes, find common ground with others, and discuss these truths in winsome ways.

Echoes of Eden Objectives
Children will learn:
• That all great art contains an echo of Eden—memories of a good creation, the tragedy of our current condition, and a longing for redemption and restoration.
• How to use quality literature to notice Gospel themes, find common ground with others, and discuss these truths in winsome ways.
• To enjoy literature, engage in culture, and understand what it means to be created in the image of a creative God.
• To learn how to “hunt and gather truth” in a variety of contexts.
• The Gospel is not just for saving souls, but reaching and redeeming all of creation.

This Sunday’s Lesson: JUNE 17
The Best Cat in the World by Leslea Newman

Summary: Victor is very sad when his beloved cat, Charlie, dies. After mourning the loss of his pet, Victor gets a new cat that is very different from Charlie. Over time Victor grows to love his new cat. We are reminded that God sees our grief and brings us peace and comfort in our sadness.

Key Concept: God brings us His comfort when we are sad.

Verse: Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

Activity: Children will reflect through painting about a time they were brokenhearted while listening to worship music. They will then have time to share how God helped them and pray in small groups.

Summer Family Journal

 Family, Summer  Comments Off
May 182012
 

With Memorial Day around the corner and many kids approaching the end of the school year, summer is on everyone’s mind. It is certainly on mine. This is the time of year I always make grandiose summer plans: organize that closet under the stairs, make homemade lemonade and ice cream, or maybe put together a neighborhood block party. Seems like most of the time, the summer slips away too quickly and I never quite accomplish all my goals.

This week I came across this great idea for a summer family journal and thought this would be such a fun, easy, and attainable summer goal for families with preschool and elementary (and even older!) aged children. The idea is for everyone in the family to contribute to a common journal over the summer through adding pictures, souvenirs (like ticket stubs), drawings, and short stories of your summer memories. At the end of the summer, your family would have a beautiful book that you would treasure for years to come. It would be a great way to involve everyone in a joint project and working together toward a common goal. Plus, the teacher in me can’t help but to think of all the literacy benefits for children – they can keep up their reading and writing skills until August rolls around.

More than that – a journal can be used to reflect on the faithfulness of our great God. Every good thing you contribute to the journal is a gift from our loving Father. What a great way to stop and thank God for His blessings as a family. It is good to remember what God is done!  Psalm 22:27 says: “All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.” Your summer family journal could be a way to document God’s faithfulness and worship Him together.

Are you sold on this idea yet? If so, here are a few tips for making this project fun, doable, and easy.

  • Purchase a journal and some fun new markers or crayons. Choose a notebook with study pages that can hold up to wear and tear.
  • Choose a central location in your home to keep the journal that will remind people to add to it. Maybe the kitchen island or table in the family room. Set the markers in a jar by the journal to encourage people to write in it.
  • Explain how the journal works to your kids. You might consider having each child work on it a different day during the week.
  • Take it with you on vacation! It could be the very thing to keep your kids busy while waiting at the airport or surviving those long road trips.
  • Choose a time every week or two to sit down as a family and appreciate the work of the journal. Maybe have people read their entries aloud or share what they drew. After you share, take time to pray and thank God for what He has given your family.
  • Don’t be perfectionist about the journal! Be okay with it being messy and a little disorganized. This doesn’t need to be a beautiful Creative Memories scrapbook. It’s a fun collection of thoughts and memories from the little hands in your family!
  • Make sure mom and dad contribute to the journal as well. Kids will love hearing your perspective on the events of your summer!
  • Invite any summer guests (grandparents, friends from out of town, etc.) to contribute to your journal as well.
  • Most of all – have fun if you choose to do this project. Laugh with your family and enjoy documenting your memories of God’s faithfulness together.

Caine’s Arcade

 Family, Videos, Work  Comments Off
Apr 132012
 

This video, Caine’s Arcade, has been all over the Internet lately. After watching it a couple of days ago, I can’t stop thinking about how inspiring this story is. Caine, a 9 year old boy, spent his entire summer vacation creating an elaborate cardboard arcade inside his dad’s used auto part store in east LA. This video is well worth eleven minutes of your time.

What I can’t stop thinking about is Caine’s passion and dedication for creating his arcade. He worked diligently and thoughtfully, never discouraged at the lack of customers, and always excited to make his arcade more elaborate. Caine’s work ethic is admirable, especially when so many kids his age spend their free time with video games or TV. Caine chose to use his mind and hands to make something of meaning.

At the end of the video, I can’t help tearing up a little when all those people come to surprise Caine and play at his arcade. Caine’s work drew community together. Caine wasn’t working for the fame or the money or to get ahead – he was just doing what he loved. And his passion drew out people’s excitement to be a part of his work.

The sweet simplicity of Caine’s story is a good reminder to all of us about how we should work for the glory of God and how to teach our children to work. Colossians 3:23-24 says:

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is Lord Christ you are serving.”

When we work with zeal, passion, and creativity, it honors God – for He sees if our hearts are in it. Perhaps this might be a good video to watch with your older elementary children and talk about what it means to “work at [something] with all your heart…for the Lord.” What might this kind of work look like for your children? What skills, talents, and passions has God given them? Whether they are playing sports, helping around the house, painting pictures, writing stories, or walking the dog, the work children do does matter to God. Caine’s arcade is a reminder to all of us to work passionately and joyfully with our whole hearts.

Children Matter to God

 Book Review  Comments Off
Mar 232012
 

Recently, I finished reading Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions by George Barna for the second time. I read it for the first time a few years back when I was the Crossing Kids Director. At that time, Barna’s book really spoke to me about the eternal significance of teaching children about Christ through ministry at church. As I reread it this month, I was also reading with the eyes of a parent and was reminded of the eternal significance of teaching my daughter about Christ at home. Whether you are a parent, a Crossing Kids volunteer, or both, this book is a refreshing look at the kingdom work we are all doing as we share the gospel with children.

In the first chapter, Barna unpacks how the Bible clearly communicates children are uniquely special to God. If you examine what the scriptures say about children, you will discover how precious they are to Him. In His eyes, they represent a multitude of attributes and possibilities. Read just a few of the points Barna writes about in his book.

• Children are a gift from God. He grants children to adults as a special sign of His love to us and as a means of personal fulfillment (see Deut. 7:13; Ps. 127:3).

• Adults receive special blessings through children. God provides supernatural benefits of many types to family and friends through children, and He matures us through the challenges of parenting (see Num. 5:28; Deut. 28:4,11; Lam. 4:2).

• Children are desirable. From the beginning of human history, God has instructed us to have children (see Gen. 9:7, Deut. 6:3; Luke 1:24-25).

• Children need to be taught how to think and act in relation to God and His ways. One of the greatest adult challenges is passing on appropriate knowledge and behaviors to children. We were created to be in relationship with Him, so our understanding of Hid nature and expectation is a significant undertaking (see Exod. 12:26,37; Deut. 4:9-10; 6:1-7; 31:12-13; Ps. 78:4-6; Prov. 22:6).

• To have a fruitful relationship with God, children must be taught to obey Him. Obedience is one of the central duties of humankind. Throughout scripture, God exhorts His people to be raised to follow His commands and reap the benefits of such obedience (see Prov. 8:32; 19:26; Jer. 2:30; 3:22; Eph. 6:1; Col. 3:20).

• Children are so valuable to God that He commands us to protect them. Parents are supposed to ensure the spiritual and physical security of their children (see 1 Sam. 20:42; Ezra 8:21).

• God wants to have a genuine relationship with His children. Accordingly, He describes how children may enter His presence and enjoy His company (see Ps. 8:2; 34:11; 103:13; Mal. 2:15; Matt. 21:15; Mark 10:13-16.).

• God loves children enough to ensure that they receive discipline. Regardless of the manner in which that shaping is provided, it is a reflection of His passion for a child’s well-being (see Prov. 3:11-12; 13:24; 19:18; 23:13; 29:15-17; Eph. 6:4).

• God enjoys the nature and personality of children. The Scriptures specifically identify attributes such as sincerity, humility, naivete, vulnerability and simplicity as qualities found in children, and He treasures these characteristics (see Matt. 18:3; 19:14; Phil. 2:15).

When I read all these points together, my perspective of working with children expands. Whether I am at church coloring with Kindergarteners or doing an experiment with 4th graders; or at home reading a board book Bible with my nine-month-old daughter (or even changing her diapers, for that matter!), I am doing God’s work and treasuring those He treasures.

Documentaries for Kids

 Family, Movie Review  Comments Off
Mar 022012
 

There is definitely a buzz around Columbia. This weekend is the 9th edition of the True/False Film Fest and I am really looking forward to watching some great films. All the films at T/F are documentaries, which I think is an amazingly interesting genre of film. Documentaries challenge me to think about people and culture in a new way, stretch my understanding of new topics, and leave me contemplating, wondering, and questioning for days.

These are some of the reasons I think watching documentaries with children can be very powerful. When I taught at SCCS, we would often show documentaries to promote critical thinking and discussion. Below are some docs I’ve seen and recommend for younger viewers. In watching these films with your children, you have a wonderful opportunity to talk about how faith intersects history and culture, as well as marvel at the beauty of the world God made.

Note: For each documentary, I’ve included a link to Kids In Mind, so you can decide for yourself if you feel the movie would be appropriate for your child.

Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey

A lovely story about the man behind Elmo, Kevin Clash, and his pursuit of his dream to be a puppeteer. It’s a  very well done film that both my husband and I enjoyed and I’m certain children will as well. Kids in Mind

Spellbound

Follow the journey of eight children as they prepare and compete in the National Spelling Bee. It’s funny, serious, and will be sure to promote discussion about the value of hard work and pursuing your dreams. Kids in Mind

Winged Migration

This is a stunningly beautiful film that follows the flight patterns of birds. I’ve never looked at birds in the same way after seeing this.*Not on Kids in Mind

March of the Penguins

Follow the life cycle of the Emperor penguins and learn about love, sacrifice, family, hardship, and beauty. This film has some wonderful life lessons and is an up close look at God’s glorious creation. Kids in Mind

In the Shadow of the Moon

A film about NASA’s moon missions with up close interviews with the astronauts. Very information and captivating for moviegoers of all ages. Kids in Mind

Turtle: The Incredible Journey

Follow the journey of a loggerhead turtle from hatching to adult and learn about the challenges of life in the Atlantic ocean. A beautiful, humorous, and engaging film.*Not on Kids in Mind

God Sees Our Hearts

 Elementary, Parents, Volunteers  Comments Off
Feb 172012
 

On Sunday morning, I was teaching a workshop lesson in the third grade classroom on how the Pharisees responded to Jesus. The main thrust of the lesson was that while the Pharisees looked religious on the outside, their hearts were far from Jesus. I asked the children, “Which is more important to God: the way we look on the outside or what our hearts are like on the inside?”

One honest little boy responded, “If God looks at our hearts, he probably just sees a lot of blood and stuff in there. That’s all that’s in my heart…blood.”

To which I asked the other children, “What do you all think about that?”

A small timid hand slowly rose from the side of the room. Quietly, a little girl responded, “No, I think God sees more than the blood and guts inside of us.”

I probed, “Like what does God see?”

“Well, I guess He can see our feelings and thoughts and what we care about and who we love. He can see all that because He made us and He knows where to look. Not even doctors can see all that stuff – they just see the blood because they are human. Nobody sees what God sees.”

Such a beautiful answer! I wanted to take our conversation deeper. “You are exactly right – that’s what God says in the Bible – that He can see everything. So if He can see everything you feel or think or love in your heart, how does that make you all feel?”

A boy playing with the Velcro on his shoes in the front row murmured, “Scared.”

“Tell us more.”

“Well, I don’t always think good things. Sometimes I feel bad things – like I get really mad at my mom and my sister. I’m sure God is mad at me if He sees that.”

The honesty in the room was palpable…I could tell it was one of those moments when the other kids were really connecting with what this boy just shared so vulnerably.

“How many of you feel the same way – like you don’t want God to see everything in your heart?”

Everyone in the room raised their hand – including me. “That’s why Jesus is the best news. We know God sees everything inside of us, even the sin we wish wasn’t there. Jesus paid the price for our sin on the cross, so God will have mercy on us when we ask Him to forgive us for the sin He sees in our hearts. Because of Jesus, we don’t have to be scared. We can trust that Jesus will change our hearts to love Him more.”

We spent some more time processing these truths together. Then we wrapped up our time praying for our hearts and that God would show us our sin and forgive us.

This conversation was such a reminder to me that these children are wrestling with real tough issues and the truth of Christ’s love is balm for their little souls. And what a sophisticated conversation we had! These third graders engaged in a deeply theological discussion, encouraged one another spiritually, opened up about vulnerable issues, and asked questions of one another. These are the conversations that remind me why I serve in Crossing Kids. These are the conversations that remind me to pray for these kids to put their faith in Christ. These are the conversations that have eternal significance.

Glory to God.

The Read-Aloud Handbook

 Book Review, Family, Parents, Reading  Comments Off
Feb 032012
 

There have been several recent posts (Readers are made in the laps of parents, Christmas Reading, and Loving the book and the look of words to name a few) that highlight the importance of reading with our children to develop their hearts and minds. When we read together, we help children think through new ideas about the world God has made and our place within it. Reading is essential for many reasons and it is a primary way in which we will leave a legacy with this next generation.

One of my all time favorite books on this topic is The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease.

In his book, Trelease outlines many implications and excellent reasons to read aloud with children. Research complied by Trelease establishes that sharing books:

1. Conditions the child to associate reading with pleasure, an association that is necessary in order to maintain reading as a lifelong activity.
2. Contributes to background knowledge for all areas of learning, including science, history, geography, math, social studies, and art.
3. Provides the child with a reading role model.
4. Creates empathy toward other people because literature values humanity and celebrate the human spirit and potential, offering insight into different lifestyles while recognizing we are all human.
5. Increases a child’s vocabulary and grammar, and has the potential to improve writing skills.
6. Improves a child’s probability for staying in school and future employment.
7. Improves critical thinking and problem solving skills that are fundamental and transferable to all other areas of learning.
8. Offers information.
9. Offers laughter and entertainment (and an alternative to television).
10. Improves attention span and stimulates the imagination.

Trelease discusses the importance of reading aloud with children not only at school, but also at home. When parents spend as little as 15 minutes a day reading aloud to their children, the benefits listed above become tangible. But how does reading help us leave a legacy of faith with our children?

In addition to the benefits listed above, I think reading aloud with children provides an even greater benefit. When we read aloud with our children (from any fiction or non-fiction books), we have a platform to talk about God: the world He made, sin and darkness in our fallen world, and the hope of Christ who will one day come to redeem and restore our world for His glory. Reading stories brings these topics to light in a practical way that children can understand.

We also have been given the greatest book of all to read aloud to our children: The Bible. God has given us a book, His inspired word, written so that we will read and think and ponder and reread and grow to know Him more. (Look for an upcoming post on some excellent read aloud story Bible recommendations.)

So tonight, crack open a book with your family, and get reading!

Alive Enough?

 Family, Interviews, Technology  Comments Off
Jan 212012
 

On Wednesday morning, Eleanor was contently playing with some toys on her blanket. After grabbing my coffee, I flipped open my laptop to quickly check my email inbox. Only two new emails popped up, so I decided to check Facebook. After looking at random status updates and photos, I clicked on my friend, Holli’s, new post on her blog. She included a link to an American Public Media interview with Sherry Turkle, director of the MIT Initiative on Technology and Self and author of Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other. I clicked on the link to start listening to the interview, and went back to checking Facebook while I listened. But, suddenly something Turkle said made me stop, look at my daughter, and close my laptop.

Tippett (interviewer): “We talked a minute ago about somehow carving out in your child’s life an experience of solitude so that they know how to be alone, and this idea of being present, but if we ourselves are not modeling those possibilities…”

Turkle: “Absolutely. I mean, I think the greatest gift you can give your child is to walk out of the house without your phone. I mean, to pick up the newspaper, to pick up the bagel, to go out for coffee. Don’t take your phone. Show your child what that looks like, that you’re willing to step out of the house not open for communication…You know, I’m not like a romantic or I don’t have like a crazy nostalgia for, you know, an unplugged life, you know in cabins in the woods, not at all. I’m just saying that we have to ask ourselves really what is served by having an always-on, always-on you, open-to-anyone-who-wants-to-reach-us way of life? Because in my research, I’ve found that it actually cuts off conversations as much as it opens out conversations.”

I realized in that moment that as I interacted with technology in front of Eleanor, she was watching and learning from me. Not only that, I realized that a quick checking of my inbox had easily led me to spend over a half hour on my computer while Eleanor played by herself. Is it a negative thing to spend time on the computer in front of your child? Absolutely not. Technology is very much a part of the world we live in and our children should be exposed to it. However, Turkle’s comments made me consider how much I am using technology in front of my daughter.

How often does she observe me text, talk on the phone, surf the web, check Facebook, watch Youtube, pin to Pinterest, upload photos, and post to my blog? In using technology am I cutting off conversation in real life with my daughter in exchange for opening up digital conversation with Facebook friends? What is the cost of this over time? Are there consequences?

I spend about an hour or two a day on my computer or phone.  I often feel a compulsive need to keep abreast of all the Facebook updates, new blog posts, and text messages. At times, I think this does keep me from being fully present with my daughter and husband. When my computer screen is between me and my family, I am missing out on being fully there with them.

All of this has just given me food for thought. I am still going to be a part of the digital world as it is an important part of living in today’s culture. I am still going to use technology in front of Eleanor and when she gets older I will show her how to use it herself. At the same time, I am now sensitive and aware of the amount I choose technology over time with my family.

At the end of her book Turkle quotes Thoreau: “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately…I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear.” Then Turkle writes, [Thoreau’s quest] “inspires us to ask of our life with technology: Do we live deliberately? In other words, what is the path, beyond opting out, to integrating technology into genuinely robust, meaningful living?”

Certainly as parents who want to leave a legacy of faith in Christ with our children, we must “live deliberately” as Turkle suggests. We have limited hours with our families, limited hours to talk and share and laugh and create memories with them. We have limited hours to pray and worship and read our Bibles with our children. If you’re at all like me, technology can sometimes get in the way of that.

Perhaps this week, we could all make one small step to “live deliberately” so that we can have more time to leave a legacy. Maybe that’s leaving your cell phone in another room during dinnertime, reading a book with your child instead of reading blogs, or doing a craft with your little one instead of pinning on Pinterest. I’m not sure what this will look like for you and your family, but it seems this is an issue that we are all going to have to think about more as the digital world becomes more ingrained in our family culture.

So, in summary remember…technology is good. We will and should use it in front of and with our children. We should also monitor when it is coming between us and our family and keeping us from spending concentrated time leaving a legacy of faith with our children.

Listen to the full interview with Dr. Sherry Turkle.

The White Couch

 Art, Elementary, Family, Parents, Preschool, Volunteers  1 Response »
Jan 062012
 

When I was a child, my parents had a white couch in our living room. White! I have no idea how they acquired this couch, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t the best furniture choice for a family of with two active little girls. All I remember is that my sister and I (along with our pets) left our imprint on that couch over the years. Grape juice, dirt, finger paint, dog hair, spaghetti hands, chocolate milk, puke, glitter, you name it…we got it on that couch. When I was in fifth or sixth grade, we finally got rid of that white couch and I remember being a little sad to see it go. So many stains left from so many years of growing up. In some ways, that white couch was the tangible canvas of my sister’s and my childhood. If that couch could talk, it would tell stories of family movie nights, sleepovers, sick days, cushion wars, family meetings, and Saturday morning cartoons.

The memories of the white couch came flooding back when I came across pictures from the This is Colossal blog of an art exhibit by Yayoi Kusama at the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art. In this collaborative project, the artist staged a room for a canvas with white chairs, tables, lamps, and walls. Over the course of two weeks, she invited thousands of children to come and leave their mark on the room with colorful stickers. The once white room slowly transformed over time into a vibrant burst of color and movement. Here are some photos of the project from the Queensland Art Gallery.

Amazing, isn’t it? What strikes me most about this project is each sticker represents a moment in time for a child. Over time, this white room came to life because life happened in it. The canvas speaks because of the movement and life of little hands, thoughtfully and creatively leaving their marks on the white. Children cannot enter a white room and just leave it white. They are compelled to be a part of it, to collaborate in making it more lovely, and to add a piece of their thinking to it.

To me, this piece of art is a reminder that children leave their mark on the world. Every child you know will contribute something to this world of ours. They are created by God to do so. The question is: what will they contribute? And as their parents and teachers, do we have influence in their contribution?

God teaches us in Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not turn from it.”

When we teach children about the gospel of Christ, live it out in our homes and at church, model it for them, and help their eyes see Christ’s beauty, we can be a part of God changing their hearts for His kingdom. When children live for Christ, they will impact our world for the Kingdom of God.

Imagine the white room is our fallen empty world and each colored sticker is the light of Christ being spread through the words and actions of children who growing up believing the Gospel. The stickers speak of hours of conversations, prayers, reading God’s word, and worshipping our King. The stickers speak of families talking about God over dinner, singing about Him in their cars and bringing their concerns to Him through prayer. They also speak of Crossing Kids teachers helping open children’s eyes to God’s love through endless hours of play, singing, conversations, and activities. The stickers are the impact children leave on this world. But as the primary adults in their lives, we help influence the color and hue of what those stickers say. Imagine if we could help each child want to shine the light of Christ in the world and live their lives in devotion to proclaiming His glory!  It takes time and effort and creativity and thoughtfulness and patience and even more time, but in the end, we will see the beauty of Christ, reveled through God our Creator, more clearly as His light and color explodes in our empty vast darkness.

Now, that’s a project I want to be a part of.

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