When Life is Good, God is Good!

The last day of Vacation Bible School?! Usually, I’m so exhausted by the end of VBS that I am glad for the last day, but today I actually feel sad. I’ve enjoyed seeing Zoey experience God in a new way, and I’ve learned quite a bit this week.

Our morning went great and Zoey was excited to find our crew heading to snack first! She had been signing “please eat” since yesterday afternoon when I made gluten free vanilla cupcakes with white chocolate covered pretzel roofs. Zoey can’t eat regular chocolate or cocoa powder because she absorbs too many oxalates, which cause her to develop kidney stones. She soon was on a sugar high which is the best time to be around Zoey! Her crew mates had her doubled over in laughter when I taught them the sign for “like” and “don’t like”. We made up things we don’t like to make Zoey laugh. For example, I said and signed, “I don’t like dirty napkins,” and tossed my napkin in the air. One friend said, “I don’t like stinky diapers!” Zoey’s giggles were uncontrollable! All the kids were cracking up at her contagious laugh!

The happiness continued in Bible Adventure! After learning about how the Israelites built an alter of remembrance to celebrate God’s goodness, the leader handed out black rocks and paint pens and told us to have our crew members name one thing that God has done for them that is good and write it on the rock. I listened as the kids in our crew answered with age appropriate responses such as, “God made the sky, God made the trees. etc”. I turned to my daughter, who will be eight in October, and asked her, “Zoey, what has God done for you that is good?” She rubbed her tiny hands together, signing, “Wash.” I was puzzled for a second and then it hit me. I asked her, “Zoey, are you saying God sent Jesus to WASH your sins away?” She laughed, which always indicates I am right! I held the paint pen in her hand and helped her write the word on her rock. My amazing daughter has a deep understanding of God’s amazing goodness!

Zoey did have a meltdown later in the day because we were sitting close to the snack room during Missions, and I sort of agree with her protest. Cupcakes are good! We should be able to go back for more! Hahaha! However, I wasn’t really upset with her crying and whispered a prayer for her to feel better about not having snack. She continued to cry a bit, but I just kept thinking back to her rock with the word wash on it. Overall life was still good today, and when life is good, God is good!

So just to make this clear, Zoey has never been “taught” the question, “What did God do for you that is good?” She didn’t answer that question from rote memory. She answered it spontaneously with knowledge that has been imparted to her over the past four years. Zoey has been in the 2&3 year old Sunday School class since she was three years old. I can’t believe it has been that long! I keep thinking there is no way she has been in the same class that long, but I see kids each Sunday that have cycled through that class with Zoey and are now entering first grade! I’ve been holding her back due to lack of maturity and her developmental delay. Our 2&3 year old Sunday School teacher is amazing! She has been delivering God’s word to Zoey patiently throughout all the paper tearing, peer hitting, and snack meltdowns. Obviously those lessons have penetrated Zoey’s soul! She knows that God’s most important, good act towards us was sending his only son, Jesus, to die for our sins and “wash” them away!

I’ve been praying for God to reveal to me when Zoey is ready to move up into a more mature class. God sent me a sign today of Zoey’s readiness to move on in life. On a solid rock, we wrote one single word, and on Christ the solid rock Zoey will stand! Praise God for this good life. When Life is Good, God is Good!

(A picture of our “rock” is coming soon, hopefully! I was sad to find out that Zoey’s rock didn’t make it back to use from our crew leader’s bag! I wanted to keep that rock forever! If we can’t find it at church, Zoey and I will be reliving this moment and making another rock. This was an amazing moment in Zoey’s life that needs an alter of remembrance just like the Israelites in Joshua Chapter 3-4, even if it’s only one stone high!)

Update! At 6:00 PM today, one of our dear friends and the music pastor of our church presented to me Zoey’s memorial stone! He went on a hunt for it and found it! What a wonderful friend and brother in Christ! He’s also an amazing musician. Check out Travis Ham’s music here https://open.spotify.com/artist/0W57I3tQxLHXyC0vM2cfDq