..::Nehemiah Moms::..

     Nearly every morning, our children and I have a worship time before breakfast.  (Tom has usually left earlier for work).  This is where they have gradually gained a huge repertoire of hymns and worship songs.  They've learned to pray outloud in a group, to read scripture for others, and to sit quietly.  Sometimes the little ones dance around to peppier songs.  Sometimes I'll ask them to close their eyes while we're singing, to help them eliminate distractions and so they can focus on the words and on the Lord.  This is where we not only worship, but we practice worship skills so they are easier to do in personal times with the Lord and in times of corporate worship.  I want our children to know that this is an important part of being an adult.  Even if we want our children to be able to worship more spontaneously, they must have the avenues for that expression.  And that takes practice.

     Some people used to ask us how our children could sit so well in church even when they were quite young.  The answer is that we practiced at home.  We practiced during our worship times and we practiced other times too.  For instance, sometimes I would take the toddler on my lap and say, "Be still."  He would sit still for a few moments and start to squirm.  I'd give him a little swat on the side of the leg, "No, sit still."  We'd work like this several times a week at various times, when I was reading to the others or during a family discussion or whenever.  It quite often required a harder swat with the rod, but each child eventually learned to sit still when told to and that "worship skill" transferred to the church setting. 

     Attention is a trained worship skill too.  We can train our children at home to be attentive at church.  The skill of sitting still is the first part.  Learning to listen is the second.  Children learn to listen by being required to listen and to respond to Mom and Dad at home.  Teaching little ones to obey the FIRST TIME they hear a parent tell them to do something trains their attention.  If a child knows he will get a swat if he doesn't respond the first time he hears Mom, he will learn to pay attention to her voice.  This skill transfers to other situations of importance.

     As the children get older they can begin to take notes during the sermon.  One friend has her son take notes and copy hers if needed.  That's excellent.  He is learning what she finds important.  He's learning an adult's discernment.  Note-taking can start as early as a child is comfortable writing.  We require it of our older students.  It helps us pay attention and gives us food for discussion later.  It's another valuable worship skill.

     We have also wanted our children to learn to play musical instruments, as music is another important part of worship.   The younger ones have not settled into a favorite instrument yet, but all can play various rhythm instruments.  Psalm 33: 3 says, "Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy."  Playing skillfully requires practice.  And practice requires time.  It's important that we design this time into our children's days.

     So even though we want our worship to be a spontaneous expression of love and enjoyment of Jesus, the skills of worship are things to be learned, to be practiced at home and at church.  That goes for us adults too.