After midnight tonight it will be Wednesday.  After 1:00 a.m., two minutes and three seconds afterwards, it will be:

01:02:03 04/05/06
That won't happen again for a thousand years.  Thanks to Curt's cousin Carol for sharing that TBOI (tasty bit of information) with us.

Are you going to stay up and watch the clock?  =)

Our pastor's youngest daughter is a delightful girl.  She is loved abundantly and loves freely.  Yesterday I was in the back emptying the offering box when she came up to me and gave me a hug.  And then another hug.  I squatted down so we could look eye and eye for a little chat.  Eventually this 4yr old (?) wanted to know what I was doing.

"I'm putting the money away.  Would you like to help?" 

I had left the zippered bank pouch up front with my things but I found a plain white envelope.  I put the currency and checks in the envelope and let my young friend put all the coin in it.  We closed the box and, with both hands, she carried it over to the closet where we put the offering box away.  From there she walked, holding my hand on one side and the envelope on the other, to the front.  We passed her mom, who was conversing with people and never saw us.

"Look, Mom, I'm helping!" her little voice chirped as she lifted the envelope over her head.  It really didn't faze her that there was no response.  Then she shared her wisdom with me. 

"My mom helps EVVVrybody." 

"I believe you."

We came to my pile and I opened the zippered bank pouch for her.  She placed her white envelope in it and I could tell the wheels were turning. 

"Why do you do this?" she wanted to know.

I showed her the bank logo on the side and explained that I would put this money into the bank.

"Why do you do that?" she pressed.

My mind whizzed as I tried to come up with an understandable explanation.  Bingo!

"We use the money to pay the pastor."

She sucked her breath in audibly. "Oh!!  MY daddy's a pastor!"  I just nodded and smiled.

And she was off, ready to move on.  That brief encounter with joy, wonder, curiosity, and enthusiasm was one of the highlights of my day.