Over the last 2 years I’ve had the privilege to teach a bunch of adorable kiddos some of the basics of life. From colors, to table manners and playing nicely with friends. And I’m not going to lie, nap time is one of my favorite times. And not just because the kids are fast asleep in their beds, but because of the one-on-one time you get when the 1st kid wakes up.
But some days, that one-on-one time starts out with tears — lots of them. And lately, I’ve found myself singing an old childhood classic, simply because it was the first (and only) thing I could think of at the time. “Jesus Loves You”
I’ve probably forgotten most of the words, but the basis of the song I still remember. And so whenever a kid wakes up crying, sad, or scared, I find myself sitting beside them, gently rubbing their back and singing this song over and over and over again.
9 times out of 10 they fall back asleep quickly.
At first I was confused, were they simply comforted by my presence? Did they find my (oh so lovely) singing comforting? Or was it something about that song — and those words?
And then one day I learned the truth. About 30 minutes into nap time, one of my littles woke up crying. They hadn’t been feeling well and were having a hard time falling asleep to begin with. On top of that, they were a bit scared when they woke up and couldn’t see me.
I quickly joined them and began rubbing their back — nothing. I tried holding their hand, humming quietly, patting their back, rocking them in my arms, telling them that they were okay. Nothing worked. Exhausted and out of ideas, I laid them back down, still crying, and began to rub their back while I sang the only song I could think of: Jesus Loves You.
Interestingly enough, they calmed down, and laid there staring up at me as I repeated the words over and over again. Soon after, their eyes began to flutter shut. And by the time I finished my 5th repetition, they were fast asleep once more.
As similar situations have occurred over the last 2 months, I’ve found myself thinking more and more about the words of the song — and why they have such an effect on these kids. Honestly, I think it’s simply the reassuring truth and peace that comes with knowing that Jesus loves them.
‘Cause I don’t know about you, but simply knowing that Jesus loves me — that’s enough to calm my fears and put my mind at ease. Especially when I sit and meditate on how much he loves me and what that really means.
And as I continue to sing to the children, easing them into a peaceful, relaxing slumber with the assurance that Jesus Loves them: I can’t help but wonder if someday on the Race, I’ll find myself easing a child into sleep with those very same lyrics.
“Jesus loves you! This I know,
For the Bible tells me so;
Little ones to Him belong,
They are weak but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves you!
Yes, Jesus loves you!
Yes, Jesus loves you!
The Bible tells me so.”
$500 still needed by June 3rd for training camp!
