Waiting well: Godly plays

Three weeks ago we began the preschool godly play worship center at church. So far it has gone well. I'm excited about this montessori based curriculum and have been really impressed with the theology of Jerome Berryman, who wrote the curriculum and the book "Godly Play" (in which he has chapters on a theology of childhood and imagination!)

So, while I've been eyeing up the beautiful wooden puzzles of the church year, I can't afford them. So for our first week of Godly Play at the church I used two pieces of cardboard and made our own circle of the church year. I loved teaching the lesson on the 'great green growing sundays' (aka: ordinary time), the four purple weeks of advent - waiting for the mystery of Christmas, the six purple weeks of Lent - waiting for the greater mystery of Easter, Easter - which is so great it spills into six more white Sundays and then red hot Pentecost! The kids loved it and Jonah keeps talking about 'hot Pentecost' and has been noticing all the green at the front of the sanctuary for the first time.

The other godly play that has been happening at our house is a gift from a dear friend - Sarah Joy. She wrote and made a godly play "Birth Story" for me. She did an incredible job of weaving our family's story into the larger story of the people of God. Jonah loves that the first baby that is born 'is named Jonah too!' The whole story goes in the blessing bowl (on Jonah's head in the picture) that was sewed to house it.

A few of my favorite parts are...

"In the beginning, darkeness as over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters."

...

"The woman was storng, strong like the oak tree. Her roots grew down into the earth and into the living water.

She was planted among the trees of the field, women of God who cared for her and sang over her, cried and rejoiced with her.

The woman and the man grew together in grace, and it was good."

...

"When the time came, the first child was born. His name was Jonah, and he too was planted in the earth to grow with the man and the woman."

...

"A breath, a cry

A tiny damp body nestled close to the mother

Skin to skin

Earth to earth

The mother's warmth envelopes the child

as they lie together.

The birthing is done.

And it is good."

That is so where I want to be right now - we keep praying this little one will come soon.

Oh, Daddy was awake during the actual story, but he was tired out after a week of getting up super early to go into work. But, it paid off and he just finished the rough draft of a chapter, which was his goal for September. So now the baby can come. Do you hear that little one? You can come!