little lambs

But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 19:14 (ESV)

This past Sunday I had the joy of getting to serve in our church's nursery. Being a smaller community, we all serve in many areas to make sure that everything is done. My two primary ministry teams are the worship team and the children's team. That means once or twice a month I get to enjoy these wonderful children for a few hours. I cannot express how precious these little ones are. So small- yet so full of personality and...believe it or not...opinions!!! They are so hilarious- the adults often look around for hidden cameras. So, I thought that today I would introduce you to our current nursery roster (from oldest to youngest). *Warning: cuteness overload may occur.*

Let's meet the crew...

It is only fitting that we lead off with sweet "Baby" Kate. Kate was the first baby born into the Apostle's nursery- and she seems to know it! Whenever Kate is feeling a little nostalgic for mom or dad, I ask her if she'll "help me with the babies." She loves it! This week, she helped feed Korey her bottle and shared her Cheerios with Max. She also volunteered to ride shotgun while I walked Aubrey to sleep in her stroller. I don't know what we would do without her! As you can see, Kate must always juggle her busy schedule- and nursery time is no exception. We're so glad that she pencils us in each week!





Max, or "Mad Max" as we like to call him, is our highly trained escape artist. Max was one of our first walkers (in this group). So, while all of the other babies were content to sit and stare at a mirror for an hour, Max wanted to explore! However, what intrigued him most was whatever was beyond our safety gate. In the tradition of a true escape artist, Max is lightening fast. Blink and he's outta here! Max keeps us on our toes and we love him for it. Recently, Max has recruited several apprentices. I think Max likes that the other babies have finally figured out how to walk, but I think he enjoys the fact that they can provide a diversion while he slips away even more. With the speed of a track star and the smarts of a Mensa member, I see Wall Street in Max's future.





Next up, we have Aubrey. I think that smile says it all. Aubrey is very laid back and content to just hang out. A recent graduate of the school for Walkers, "Aubs" loves to explore with her newfound mobility. I've seen her trailing behind the boys quite a bit lately- I think Lance & Julie might have a heartbreaker on their hands! Due to nursery time coinciding with Aubrey's naptime, we often get to watch the progression from running to wobbling to falling down from exhaustion. Thus, the aforementioned strolling usually puts her out for good. There should be an award for Aubrey's ability to sleep through noise. We are a loud crew and she doesn't even bat (or open) an eye. We love Miss Aubrey and I have to say, I think the feeling is mutual.






Any James Taylor fans reading this? Well, here is a real life Sweet Baby James. Sometimes, I want to put James in my purse and stroll nonchalantly out the front door. I don't think Jay & Desiree would freak out too badly, do you? James is the sweetest little boy I have ever seen! I don't think I have ever seen him shed a tear. He is so good natured. And that smile! It could melt your heart. James knows how to work a camera! He was striking poses left and right. James is going to make a great husband someday. Anytime there is cleaning or picking up to be done, he is the first to help out. This Sunday, James cleaned all of our brick walls with a wet wipe. Thanks, James!




Look at that face! You are staring into the gorgeous eyes of Donovan. Donovan is our resident deep thinker. Content to sit in someone's lap and watch the action, Donovan takes in the world around him with a silent wisdom that increases his preciousness exponentially. Donovan never impulsively grabs a toy or runs around for no reason. He inspects his options and then makes an informed decision based on his findings. If you look closely, you can actually see the wheels turning. Needless to say, the nursery workers are absolutely in love with him. He has us wrapped around his little fingers.








Korey Lea Vassar. [insert "awww!" here] I dubbed Korey "the starter baby." I'm not sure she even knows how to cry. So, when people join the children's ministry and are put on the nursery team- we always give them Korey for their first week. She makes you feel like you're the best nursery worker in the world! Angela says that she affirms you and makes you feel good about yourself when you hold her. Wow. This is one powerful baby! Luckily for us, she only uses her powers for good. Korey has the face and temperment of an angel. But don't think she's boring or lackluster- she's got spunk! I mean, come on, she's a Vassar isn't she? If you ever have the gift of seeing Korey get excited about something, namely-seeing her big sister, you're in for a treat. It's like there is too much joy to be held in-and all of a sudden-BOOM! it explodes in what can only be described as a cross between a laugh and a shriek. It's a hilarious sound. We can't wait for Korey to grow before our eyes and develop her own little "isms." She's got quite the group to learn from, that's for sure!


Well, that's our crew. As different as can be, and yet all so loving and kind. I look forward to watching them grow and learn. I especially covet getting to watch them grow in their knowledge of Christ and who He is. I hope to be a part of their cloud of witnesses someday.

Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV)