Hey, mom…watch this!”  These are words that as parents we’ve all heard.  Our kids love to know we’re watching.  They want to know that we’re paying attention. 

At the varying stages in a child’s life, our paying attention looks very different.  When they are infants, we’re paying attention to all the nonverbal cues our children give us like crying, laughing, and making faces. As they get a little older, the “watch this” or “watch me” phase starts.  This phase lasts awhile, and then we hit a wall. 

Suddenly our kids aren’t yelling across the playground anymore for us to watch them.  We discover that it’s not us they want watching, it’s their friends.  We find ourselves reverting back to picking up on some of those nonverbal cues.  (Sadly, crying is many times involved again)
This is not to say that our kids never talk to us.  Prayerfully just the opposite is true.  It does mean that we have to pay attention even when they aren’t asking us to do it.  They aren’t yelling “watch me” but they still need us- and I think want us- to pay attention.  Even the child who is taller than you needs a hug, an encouraging word, anything that says, “I’m watching.” 

This week a friend of mine sent me one of those circulating stories called “The Brick.”  In the story, a young boy threw a brick into the road, hitting a man’s brand new car.   The furious man got out of his car and asked the crying child why in the world he had done such a stupid thing.  The boy told him it was the only way to get someone to pay attention and stop.  His older brother, confined to a wheelchair, had fallen.  He, being smaller and not strong enough, couldn’t get his brother back into his wheelchair.  The story ends with the man tearfully helping the boy and never fixing the dent in his car.  He wanted to remember to pay attention long before someone had to throw a brick at him.

This story is a good reminder- not only as a parent, but as a daughter to the King.  I want God to see me, to pay attention.  The amazing thing is I never have to yell, “watch me” for Him to do it.  But…is the reverse true?  Am I always watching for God’s hand, am I paying attention to the many ways He blesses and provides for me, am I anticipating His move in, through, and around me? God certainly shouldn’t have to say “watch me” or “pay attention.”

As children we don’t have to throw bricks to have our Heavenly Father pay attention.  As parents we don’t want our kids throwing bricks to get our attention.  Yes…we all have lots of moving pieces and balls to juggle in our everyday lives.  Sometimes the “watch me” seems like an inconvenience.  But…consider this, God has much more to attend to, but He watches anyway. 

Psalm 121: “I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from?  My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip-- he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you-the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm-- he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”

This Week’s Announcements:
Family Dinner!  Come enjoy a good old fashioned potluck dinner with your StoneBridge Family.  Children in 4k-5th grade will be served pizza in 164 before going to childcare. There will also be childcare or 3k and under, but you will need to feed them dinner beforehand. *Please note: Registration for childcare closes on Monday, November 18th!  Without a reservation, childcare is not guaranteed and may not be available for your children.* Go to www.signupgenius.com and search under Kim Kremer’s email kim@stonebridgemarietta.org to sign up for a main dish, side dish, or dessert, as well as childcare. 

What God is Teaching Us:
Follow the link below to see this past Sunday’s curriculum: 
This link is no longer available

Funny Things Kids Do and Say…
The children are signing our “thankful” board each Sunday morning.  Upon reading some of the entries, it became evident that conjunctions and punctuation do make a difference.  One entry read, “I’m thankful for my brother the dog.”