I was giving the presentation of The Wedding Banquet. I told them to listen carefully so they could tell me what Jesus was trying to tell us about the Kingdom of Heaven. They listened intently. So intently, that one 8-year-old said when I had finished, that he needed to hear it again. He also asked me exactly what "binding hand and foot" really meant. So we went through the whole presentation again. Then we thought about it, and they children were very good at thinking through what Jesus meant. However, the little fellow still looked very concerned. Finally, he asked me if we could add another figure to the story--The figure of a queen. Intrigued by his thought pattern, I asked why. He was very clear. "Well, you see, if there had been a queen, she'd have given the fellow who showed up without a wedding robe a second chance."

During a discussion about the True Vine, suddenly Nathan, age 6, began talking about the sheepfold and he said this:
"The sheepfold, you know, it's just a holding place. We don't belong here. We belong with God and we're going back to God. This is just where God sends us to learn."

Reflecting on the Hidden Treasure, I asked, "What is treasure?" Children mentioned favorite toys or stuffed animals. Alexa, age 7, responded, "God's love."

Heaven grows inside of us

When doing The Leaven and a clay extension work for meditation Darla, age 6, commented, "When we want to go to Parousia, the leaven will take us." She also connected that heaven grows inside of us like the flour and the yeast. And she said, "And heaven has someone new - my Uncle." She said it with a feeling of relief.

While receiving the presentation on the Kingdom of God and the Mustard Seed, Nellie, age 3, exclaimed, "and you water it! And it grows into trees, flowers, carrots and tomatoes!" and then she shot her hands above her head. She carefully held the mustard seed in her hand, and wide-eyed talked of the "big tree" that would grow. We prayed the song "This Tiny Seed" together, and then Nellie gave thanks for "flowers."