Yesterday morning, I was trying out yet another local coffee shop as I continued hammering out lectures for my upcoming course. Eric shared this story:

“I was sitting on the couch having my quiet time. Owen and Annie were sitting under the open window, enjoying Play-Do.
Annie said to Owen, ‘What’s that noise?’
and he said, ‘That’s semi‘ (Japanese for cicadas, which are quite noisy this time of year in our neighborhood). Annie continued with her many questions, ‘What are they talking about?’
With confidence Owen answered, ‘They’re talking about God.’
—-

There is a somewhat obscure passage in Matthew where the chief priests and the scribes see Jesus doing miracles of healing, and they heard “the children crying out in the temple, ‘Hosannah to the Son of David.’ They became angry and said to him, ‘Do you hear what these are saying?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Yes, have you never read, ‘Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise for yourself”?’ (Matthew 21:15, 16)

Out of the mouths of babes… Even though she isn’t speaking much yet, Olivia has joined her sister and brother in singing praises. We often hear her from her crib belting out the melody of “Jesus Loves Me” using the “Ba Ba” sound (she’s surprisingly–mostly– on-key–you can listen below).

In the car, one of our favorite things is to hear the kids all singing worship songs together.

Out of the mouths of babes… we are constantly surprised by the quips and insights of our children. Sometimes their unorthodox or even outlandish comments bring us back to truths that we have become too adult, too rational to recognize. That rhythmical beauty in the droning of the cicadas – perhaps if I learn to listen better –to children and to nature- I too, will be more likely to hear the praise that rings and sings throughout creation.

Postscript: I came home today, shortly after writing this blogpost, and this was the scene that greeted me. Our friends Bobby and Claire had been watching the children for us this morning so I could study and Eric could help our friends with some yardwork: