"You are the salt of the earth!"

...she begins singing to me after she has crawled up into my lap, taken my face between her two sweet little hands and looked me straight and seriously, directly in the eyes. Yep, that would be our M&M.

But what? Why in the world? Let me explain...

Our littlest squirt loves to come snuggle first thing in the morning... whether she finds me reading in bed (like in these pictures here), whether she finds me making bread in the kitchen (means I've got to wash dough off my hands-find and aunt free spot-and pull her onto my lap while she gently pinches my face in those sweet chubby hands, or as of more recently, whether she stumbles out to the terrace and then backs up to my chair saying "Pick me up... I want to pinch you." And she often will have something else, something funny and strange that she wants to say - expressed in a sleepy two year old voice.

Shortly before the long vacation began, Sahel Academy students performed an adaptation of the Broadway musical Godspell (note - said adaptation was significantly different than the original Broadway production and did include the resurrection). Tim then spent many, many hours editing a 2 camera taping of the production to give the students (and anyone else who so desired) a video memory of all that hard work.

Not only did our children attend the performance, they listened to the music time and time and time again as their daddy edited the video... and thus came to know the songs "purty well." For little songbirds like our Elsie Mae and Mary Michelle... they love to sing and pick up music like they learn new vocabulary... new songs are pure delight. As a mama, I love hearing my kids wander around the house, singing words like these!

You are the light of the world!
You are the light of the world!
But if that light is under a bushel,
It's lost something kind of crucial
You've got to stay bright to be the light of the world


You are the salt of the earth
You are the salt of the earth
But if that salt has lost it's flavor
It ain't got much in its favor
You can't have that fault and be the salt of the earth!


(chorus)
So let your light so shine before men
Let your light so shine
So that they might know some kindness again
We all need help to feel fine (let's see us shine!)


You are the city of God
You are the city of God
But if that city's on a hill
It's kinda hard to hide it well
You've got to stay pretty in the city of God


(chorus)
So let your light so shine before men
Let your light so shine
So that they might know some kindness again
We all need help to feel fine (let's see us shine!)


You are the light of the world
You are the light of the world
But the tallest candlestick
Ain't much good without a wick
You've got to live right to be the light of the world

I also love when God uses my sweet little ones to speak His message... one He knew I'd need to hear, and so I started thinking along those lines as I began my day... kids are such willing, delightful tools in the hands of an awesome God. Truly... outta the mouths of babes!