January 29, 2018
Worm-Savers
It had rained all Sunday evening and most of the early Monday morning to leave a cool, wet ground at college today. As happens when water floods the grass, insects leave trying to find dry land. On the way to the potty, (Lucas has started “Big Boy Pants” and when he says “I gotta go potty!” he means quickly!) Jaquline spied a worm wriggling on the parking lot and shrieked, “Mom! He’ll get run over!”
Jillian grabbed at it, “let’s save him!”
Mom watched for cars.
The girls and Lucas grabbed every soggy earthworm on the cement or asphalt on the way into the building and on the way back to the vehicle. (It was periodically misting and the tables were all soaking wet so we had to do schoolwork in the dry van.)
“We’re worm-savers!” Jaquline announced, “every worm we save is helping plants grow strong.”
“I like squirmy worms!” Lucas added.
They are just little earthworms, but doing something small (saving worms) made them feel like they were doing something big!
“God put us here to save those worms, you know,” Jillian said.
AHA! Teaching moment! Yes, God puts us where He wants us even just to do something we see as small; like smile at someone. Just like picking up an earthworm isn’t much to you (but it’s the entire world for that earthworm!) sometimes a genuine smile helps encourage people. God will put you where He can use your joy to encourage others. Don’t you feel happier when you see someone else happy?
“I’m happy being a worm-saver!” Jaquline giggled. “Just like how Alena and Joseph save Tawny! These worms won’t die now!” (She loves the newest Devonians book: in “A Foundling Furball” the youngsters save an injured baby pup.)
In the few minutes of worm-saving, a few dozen squirming worms were in the grass (Lucas squealed each time one quickly disappeared into the dirt). Their consideration for the tiny creatures and effort to save them certainly encouraged me. God often uses my children to illustrate the simplest things that I try to make hard – today it was stop being so busy and help by doing what you can.
I needed to hear that.
Thanks for reading!
Type at you later…
~Nancy Tart