A Lesson Learned from Jack and Jill

Let all that I am praise the Lord;
    may I never forget the good things he does for me.
He forgives all my sins
    and heals all my diseases.
He redeems me from death
    and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
He fills my life with good things.
    My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!
Psalm 103:2-5 NLT

This is a blog of serious nature yet one that came to be during a ELA lesson in the Kindergarten classroom. Oh the way my brain works sometimes. The teacher I work with is amazing with such an energy and love for the children in our room. As we move forward with the new common core and implementation, it requires the teachers to think more creatively than in year's past. 

A task this teacher does with grace and ease. One day as I listened to her teach the children "Jack and Jill" the Lord place this verse and blog on my heart. I've had it tucked away for a snow day. An aspect of this I didn't plan on is when I say this nursery rhyme every day with one of the kiddos, God is using it to remind me to keep my eyes and heart focused on Him - remembering the good he has done, continues to do, and is yet to do for me. It reminds me I'm forgiven, healed, redeemed, and then "crowned" with "love and tender mercy" as God fills my life with good things. I am renewed! So are you!

I'm thankful for these ever so soft reminders in my day. I've known this nursery rhyme since I was old enough to talk and learn, a benefit of being their generation teacher. A blessing I didn't quite appreciate growing up mind you, yet one I'm ever so grateful for today.

The next time you sing, chant, or say "Jack and Jill" ~ let the words "broke His crown" remind you that Jesus wore a "crown" of thorns and suffered death on the cross for your sins. Thankfully, unlike Jack who remains broken - Jesus's resurrection three days later opened the pathway to heaven and God.

We are healed and renewed because of Jesus' crown of thorns - we only remained broken when we don't change the end of the story. Our nursery rhymes remain the same from generation to generation but thankfully God and HOPE are eternal.

You might fall down and be broken but when you remember to look up...renewal is around the corner. Don't give up or let anyone follow the path of brokenness, instead lead them to the Light. And yes, I got all this from singing "Jack and Jill", God's cool like this.

---

What reminds you of God's love and renewal?