This week, I’ve been thinking about how everything we do can be worship. Everything. The routine mundane things that are second nature, the words we say, the way we smile at our kids and our husbands, how we take care of our homes, how we do our jobs. Worship is not just songs we sing. Worship doesn’t just happen on Sundays. Worship is not only what happens within the 4 walls of the church building. Worship is what we should be doing with our lives. This is a lesson I learned about 9 months ago… from my baby boy. Here’s the story (written September 2, 2011):
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He is definitely a beach baby. Can’t help it. He gets it honest.
Fascinated by the ocean, much like I am, he didn’t blink that evening as I held him on my hip and walked the short trip down the sand. He was mesmerized by the sight and sound of the waves. With excited squeals escaping his lips and legs kicking full force, he itched for that familiar feeling on his toes. Finally those toes touched the water and he was able to enjoy it for a while.
After a good amount of water was splashed on both of us, we walked up to a dry spot of sand and I set him down in front of me, my legs encircling his. At first, he just looked at the sand in front of him. Then his feet started kicking. And they didn’t stop.
His rhythmic kicking started forming a cute little heart shape right there in front of us.
As he continued to kick his energy out, I sang I Love You Lord. Reminisced about a campfire 20 years ago when I first learned that song. It is now a theme song of my life… one that I sing in my head when bad thoughts come in.
I love you, Lord, and I lift my voice. To worship you. Oh my soul. Rejoice. Take joy my King in what you hear. May it be a sweet, sweet sound in your ear…
May it be a sweet, sweet sight to your eyes…
May it be a sweet, sweet smell to your nose…
May my life be such that everything I think, say, and do looks like worship to you.
In the midst of my own worship moment, I looked down at Little Man and realized that he was worshiping too. Kicking those little feet against the sand was his way of saying thank you to God. I love your sand, God. I love your ocean, God. I love sitting here with my mommy, God. Thank you.
Worship is such a simple act. It’s not about what manner we choose to do it. It’s not about the songs we sing. Worship is our way of telling God thank you. Of showing him that we love him with all that is within us.
I’m pretty sure Little Man’s kicking was a sweet, sweet sight to God’s eyes.
So when the pink horizon faded to just a spot disappearing behind the buildings, we got up and walked back to the condo. Left behind was a cute little sand heart made by Little Man’s feet. Beach Baby’s worship offering to his King.
Thank you God for letting me see worship through the eyes {and feet} of my baby boy.
Paula,
What a sweet moment of worship with your child and your Heavenly Father. I’m so glad that He designs unexpected moments when we are in His presence right in the middle of our day! Thank you so much for sharing…and I love that song too!
Blessings,
~Erin
What a great experience for you and your son.
I did not have beach babies. They didn’t like the sand between their fingers or their toes. They love it now though. This is a sweet post that I’m sure you’ll cherish when he’s older!
Paula I love this! We were just talking to our kids about how we can live a life of worship. We talked about the verse that talks about offering a cup of water in His name could be worship. (Mark 9:41) I love the picture of those sweet little legs. Beautiful post!
Love this post, such a sweet moment between you and your son!
Paula, this post reminds me so much of the day Scott was diagnosed with cancer. I was teaching a women’s Bible study that spring and felt very urged by God in my heart to demonstrate a quiet time for the ladies. I let them pick the scripture so they’d know it was spontaneous.
They chose Romans 12:1-2 about how everything in our lives should be an act of worship. I’m rocking and rolling making notes, talking to God and journaling and actually getting ready to wrap up when I feel like God asks me one final question in my heart. “Shannon, would you still worship me if I took your husband?” Four hours later Scott was diagnosed with cancer.
We often talk with our kids about living right every day, not just on Sunday’s. we often find teaching moments to help them see God’s hands in their lives on a daily basis, even in something so small as a good feeling, or a beautiful sunshine.
Beautiful post!
[…] we sing. But over the past few weeks, we’ve talked more about private worship, learning from Beach Baby and the […]