Emi and VBS

Emi’s been to Vacation Bible School. She’s three and then some now. Ask Emi about Bible School and her big blue eyes sparkle with delight and her feet start to jiggle in her “wiggy-wiggy” dance. She’ll sing for you, too.

Jesus said… Jesus said,
I am the Way,
And the Truth,
And the Life,
No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

When she doesn’t want to sing, she repeats the verse, daily and much.

Emi already had an extensive repertoire of songs: Eensy Weensy Spider, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, Where is Thumbkin. However, none of them have been as affecting as this one has. Emi has heard about Jesus since she was born. But now she realizes Jesus is someone she should listen to, so her ears are freshly opened to hearing what He might say to her.

“Let’s go to church,” she asked quite suddenly one afternoon.

Fortunately it was a Wednesday. Vespers was only hours away. So we went. Emi sang along with the liturgy as best she could: “Your word is lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” She listened to the readings, especially after being told, “That’s Jesus’ words speaking to you.”

Still, it was the singing of the liturgy she loved the most. She stood by my knee and looked at every line, studying each one as if she could read. She chanted the psalms, tried to make the sign of the cross, and worked her way through it all. Did I mention she only sang one inarticulate word throughout until we got to the one she recognized fully, “Amen”? Amen is enough for now. The rest will come later.