What's your favourite???

I don't think there'll be a lot today...but we'll see...

I LOVE being a dad! I've had three sons who have all filled my life with much more joy than stress and hassle for the last 18 years! Today, my youngest son, Ieuan (pronounced Y-eye-un for those who've never even heard of a country called Wales!), came home from school singing a song he'd been enjoying in class today...and which brought back some very fond memories from a long time ago (doesn't music do that to us all the time?)

My parents moved to Bedlington in 1979 to be the ministers of the Salvation Army Corps in that lovely, Northumberland town. I was just 16 so, naturally, went with them and lived there for 2 years before leaving home for college, going back for holidays until they moved on themselves in 1982. One of the great joys I know my father had in that time was meeting a lovely-natured, little, red-haired girl who came to the Sunday School there.

I remember dad lined up quite a number of the youngsters on the platform one Sunday and went along the line asking them what their favourite Sunday School song was. Little Joanne not only told him - but offered to sing it for us as well - so she did:

"If I Were a Butterfly" lists all the things a child might do if they were that creature - thanking God for butterfly wings, elephant's trunks, fishes wiggling tails and giggling with glee, jumping like a kangaroo, etc. Joanne punctuated her solo by making each movement she could - especially the kangaroo hop - and this was so memorable because she was born severely disabled. She was able to stand with calipers as a child but has subsequently spent the rest of her life in a wheelchair - yet she has maintained that happy disposition ever since and still 'thanks God for making me me!"

She finished her song, then asked my father, quite spontaneously, what his own favourite Sunday School song was, Unprepared for the question he thought as quickly as he could and replied "I'd Rather Be A Little Thing Climbing Up Than A Big Thing Tumbling Down!" As my dad spent the vast majority of his adult life - like me - at well over 20 stones (300lbs) you might imagine the laughter his 'favourite' brought to the congregation!

Ieuan and I sat after school today and sang the song together and these memories came flooding back! Now he's on the floor playing with his pirate ships and singing again, "a bottle of rum to warm my tum and that's the life for me!" What DO they teach 5 year olds in school these days???