Listening Rocks

Today is the first day of Mommy School this week and our activity was making these Holy Listening Stones. Now since I have a bible study on Mondays and MOPS on every other Tuesday...I don't plan anything but home activities for Wednesday. It has worked out well today since it is raining and 11am and we are all still in our jammies. Well, except for Miss Molly who has already changed four times.

Background: A few months ago we met an amazing woman who created First Steps Spirituality Center in Colorado Springs. Now I know what you are thinking...Colorado Springs? Mega churches and evangelicals. Not exactly. She is a Methodist minister who specializes in the spiritual well being of children and teens. Awesome!

Reverand Leanne Hadley has a wonderful website and in our short time together she taught us how important it is to listen to our children. We are their first teachers, true. But when it comes to experiencing God we can learn so much from each other.

Activity: Holy Listening Stones

All of the information is on her website but ours are pictured above. I would love to tell you that it was a beautiful experience making these with the little ones, but mostly it was me managing my expectations of a 3-year-old and 18-month-old and keeping the dog from carrying them off in his mouth. Only one stone broke and it was the smile. (I tried not to overanalyze that and just tossed it and made another one.) The stones are used to help the children communicate their feelings during Holy Listening.

A definition of Holy Listening by Rev. Hadley is provided below:

"When a person is fully present with another person: listening; not judging; not distracted; not analyzing; not diagnosing; and trusting that as they listen, God has joined them to offer wisdom, guidance and healing. As we enter into Holy Listening, God is present, and there is an air of holiness and sacredness." -First Steps Spirituality Center

I plan on using the stones with my children even if, at first, they just play with them.

The quote of the day: "Molly, please stop throwing the Holy Listening Stones at your brother."