Family Ministry: Living in the Moment

In those moments in life where we don’t quite get it right, look for opportunities to loosen up expectations that keep us stuck in the “plan.” Children have a great way of being in the moment, and our Starr King children taught me that exact lesson.

My Story

My plan was to teach the children how music plays a part in telling a story. I gave 4-5 year olds sliding whistles. They could explore their whistles for a few minutes. Then they were to sit quietly while I told a story about a bouncing balloon. On cue they were to blow and slide their whistle once, either up or down, according to the story.

What was I thinking!!? The whistles were way too much fun to keep quiet in their laps. So, the exploration continued, loudly. Being the adult that I am, I stuck to the plan and moved the circle outside. The outdoors only encouraged the children to get up and move even more. Forget about sitting quietly listening to a story.

I took a breath, released myself from my expectations, and suggested we become a marching band of sliding whistles. It was great fun. We marched around the grounds, blowing our whistles as loudly as we wanted. The opportunity almost missed: experiencing music and movement as a community. We became members of a special marching band.

I am grateful for our children’s presence.