Some people may not realize the value of nursery. I'm not talking greenhouses or rooms full of freshly delivered newborns here. I mean the nursery at church (or, Miriam's way of saying it: "Nuh-hee!").
I've heard that some people are reluctant to accept a calling as a nursery leader. I've heard that some people think that nursery is no more than two hours of baby-sitting. But I know that those nursery leaders are teaching important gospel principles to our 18-month- to 3-year-olds.
Case in point: When Seth picked up Miriam after our block of meetings today, she was holding a blossom that had undoubtedly been picked from a bush outside the church. I wondered if she had snatched it while they were getting some fresh air. She did all the things you'd expect a 2-year-old to do with it: hold it up to my nose to sniff it, try to unlock the cupboard doors in the hall with it, twirl it around in her fingers.
She still had a hold on it when we piled into the truck to drive home. And that's when my appreciation for the nursery program deepened.
Without any parental prompting at all, Miriam shared this truth with us while holding up her little sprig: "Jesus Christ made flowers."
I'm so grateful for an inspired nursery program and to the leaders who carefully teach the gospel to our beautiful young children.