Sophia serves

I want Sophia to grow up without remembering when she first got involved in ministry.  I envision serving to be so marinated in her bones that she never gives it a second thought. 

I have decided that my child is in ministry already. She provides baby therapy to many senior care residents in the Boise area.  She comes with me to most of my musical performances and is part of the show. Having her in my baby sling while performing brings more smiles (and more audience members for that matter) than my music ever brought on its own.  

Seeing the countenance of a grandpa visibly brighten because of Sophia's presence in my show is worth the shoulder aches that playing piano while holding a baby strapped to oneself affords.  After the performances, I linger and take Sophia around to visit all the residents- many of whom laugh with joy just at the sight of her.  I'm sure the amount of germs she has ingested is appalling and I'm clinging to the hope that it's helping her have a stronger immune system!  

One of my earlier memories is of my mother taking me with her to the nursing facility where she worked as a nurse. I would spend hours (or so it seemed at 4 years of age) in the apartment of one lady in particular and loved every moment of it.  This is why I feel it is only honest to claim I've worked in healthcare for 28 years, though it produces quite the cognitive dissonance evidenced in the form of raised eyebrows.  I then go on to explain and we have a good giggle.  When I think of those early experiences, giggle or no, I'm thankful that my mother instilled in me an interest in filling the emotional needs of the older generations.  Needs of love, respect, companionship, and quite frankly, the entertainment that a young child can bring. 

When Andrew and I played at the market on Saturday, many people stopped to take our picture. More than ever before Sophia came into our family.  Some tipped a dollar into the guitar case and some did not, but just to know that someone's day was brightened enough at the sight of our little family circus that they thought it worthy enough to stop for a photo, is payment enough.  I still wish we could get it recorded for posterity but I haven't figured out how to do that while playing music and holding a baby.  I should probably plan ahead and ask someone to help.

It will be interesting to see how Sophia's ministry and her part in our family unfold as she grows older and different abilities are nurtured. In my friendships with hundreds of senior citizens, I've interviewed many farmers (including my own father) and owners of other family businesses.  I learned that their children were only allowed to participate in sports and activities that didn't hinder the family vision as a whole.  My father for instance, was allowed to run track because it didn't interfere with planting and harvest season.  Unlike the ethic of today, where children are chauffeured to every activity at all costs, children were expected to contribute to the family's lifeblood and vision as a whole.  

I learned through these interviews that the good majority of the farmers or other business owning parents, reared children who grew up to be unquestionably successful and had failures that were never due to laziness or lack of work ethic.  Many went on to be doctors, construction contractors, missionaries, and Navy SEALS. Few or

none that I interviewed reared children who turned out to be professional students or bums or delinquents. 

I like to think of Sophi's baby therapy when she goes to work with Mama as her first job on the "family farm".  I've found my child to be genuinely helpful to our family vision through her ability to bring joy to others. I'm excited to see how she learns to help next.