Fear Not

This week we seemed to get sucked into a Black Hole, also known as VBS, Vacation Bible School. Though Chris has tagged along the last couple years as Mommy and Daddy have helped at our church's VBS, this year was Christopher's first time being an attendee. It turns out Chris's preschool's church (where Chris's grandparents attend) was doing the same VBS as our church, and quite a number of Chris's classmates were going to be in attendance, so we signed him up. He did swimmingly and had such a great time that he asked us today to go to "cvS" again today.
Chris's young group was in the front row at the church during that first night. Pastor walked out to lead the group in prayer, and a certain little pipsqueak piped right up "Hi Pastor!!" so loud we could hear him at the back of the church. I was worried about him, I mean I know he's been in school for a year already, and rides the bus like a big boy, but he's pretty isolated with the preschool kids in that environment. I was worried he wouldn't be ok surrounded by older kids. When he got home that night, he came up to me, a fist outstretched, and in fullest fight voice told me "WATCH!!! For DOD!"
I said OK. I didn't know what he was talking about. Then I noticed his new bracelet, it read, Watch for God. He calls it his Watch.
The next night we went early so that we could participate in the supper too. Chris and his friend Bryn ran wild around the fellowship hall. It was like old home week, Chris saw his teacher Mrs. D. and gave her a hug, and we saw a bunch of his classmates, and got to see them having so much fun together. I know he'd missed them. I sat down when they got started, and listened as the leader told them that God was Everywhere, and all the kids put their fists up "Fear Not!", they yelled. Apparently they learned something new each day about God, and everytime they heard it they'd yell Fear Not!
Wednesday night they made T-shirts, we hadn't much notice to find Chris a t-shirt so we picked up one at the dollar store, the smallest they had was a Kids's small, which I must say looks a bit like a dress on Chris, but he is thrilled to have his own t-shirt. He'll tell you it says Fear Not! Chris bats about 50/50 with saying it correctly, to me it sounded like he was saying Fear Dod (which is his way of pronouncing God), not exactly what we were going for, specifically, but if he thought he was saying Fear Not, then OK.
The folks who know the family have always loved when Chris has come to visit the church. This week was no different. Friends of the family came up to us all week long, telling us how great it was to have Chris. This extended church family has prayed along with us since Christopher's birth just like the folks at our church, and he's become a family member at St. Andrew's just like at Messiah. Everyone was so kind, telling us how "full of Energy" he is. They would look at us, and just smile, or laugh. They were surprised at how much he just goes and goes and goes. Sometimes his rambunctiousness wears me out or gets on my nerves, but they just loved it. I think that just seeing him in church on the rare Sunday didn't give them a chance to really get to know him, until this week. Now they know him a bit better and love him even more.
The last night, we settled in for their program. And the kids would all get up and sing, and each time Chris would battle his way to the front row, and come running out into the pews. He wouldn't sit with us, but instead go up to other people and growl or sit next to them or just do the motions of whatever song they were singing. At the end of one song, they did the Fear Not thing again. In a brief moment of silence following that cheer, I saw Chris buckle down arms bearing his muscles and he growl to whoever was sitting next to him, FEAR DOT!!!! Everyone at the front of the church started to snicker. Later, one couple (who has experience in such things) paid us a compliment, they said he was such a ham, (which we knew) but that he was so energetic that we really should get him into Junior Civic Theatre as soon as we can, because he would thrive there. No doubt. Eric just wonders when he'll learn to take direction....
We've known what an amazing soul Christopher is, and this was a neat chance for us to share his gifts with others who love him.
We've always referred to Chris as an Enchanter, breaking hearts of girl's everywhere. Well, this VBS was no different. At the closing Thursday evening I noticed a young child pick up Christopher by his armpits, and lift him as high as he could over his head. It looked a bit scary, I mean this kid had to be like 7. Chris smiled, laughed, and put his arms out and I swear the combination looked like a cross. Chris was having a great time with these kids. Perhaps he thinks he's a big kid. Maybe they think he's a great toy. As worried as I was that he wouldn't fit in, these kids were just as enchanted with him as everyone else who meets him. But he got along great with the kids, and had fun with the adults. It was refreshing to see all these people loving on him.
Fear Not, they said. Sometimes it was like they say, Mommy don't be afraid to see me Grow Up, I'm doing great. Plus, most importantly, Chris was not afraid.

That doesn't mean that he isn't afraid of anything. It seems odd to say it, but Chris is afraid of dogs. We've suspected it for a while, but I guess we were dwelling in disbelief because, Hello?, we have a 50 pound Boxer. How can someone who lives with a 50 pound dog be afraid of dogs? Well, Chris is. He's been known to flip out when we visit Bryn's house, she has 2 big very loving dogs, and they get so gung ho they have been known to knock Chris down. They have a rat terrier staying with them, who is littler than our cat, and he goes running from her. I just figured it was because she's tiny and yippity and he didn't like her getting in his face. It is such a sweet face, I can't blame any puppies for wanting to get into it. But, Chris has the same problem with his Nana's dogs, I just figured they don't know him well, nor he they, and they are constantly sniffing him whenever he's there. But last weekend, his Opa got a new puppy, a German Shepard named Schnitzel, and Chris was scared of her. She'd try to play with him, and she'd come bounding up to him. (Eric has long suspected that when Chris doesn't know what to do in social situations, he'll growl like a monster) When Schnitzel came up to Chris to play, Chris would turn to her and Growl, which scared her, to the point of peeing on the floor and then she'd grump right back at him. Great. Then this week Chris went to visit his friend Brett's house. Brett has 2 black lab -ish type dogs, big and black with big barks. And Chris FREAKED OUT! He was climbing up me, trying to hide behind me; at one point he climbed up into a giant chair and covered himself with a blanket, and they were behind a baby gate. Yeah, he's afraid of dogs.
I just want to say, honey, Fear Not.