Emily’s Idea
Don’t you love watching children? I do. It doesn’t matter whether a child is working or playing. And if they’re really into something, it’s often hard to tell the difference. Children “dance like nobody’s watching.”
You’ve seen it, perhaps at the grocery store as a young girl accompanies her mom. Mom works her way up and down the aisles lost in the mental planning of next week’s meals.
The young girl skipping along, oblivious to people and goings-on around her. She’s singing, creating a story as she points and scans the shelves.
Or the 30 second walk to the mailbox turns into a 20 minute adventure as the boy detours along an ant trail or picks a handful of weed flowers to present with the letters and bills— if he remembers to stop by the mailbox at all. These children are lost in the joy of living.
Take a look at the sweet face in the picture accompanying this article. You can’t miss Emily Elliott’s pure joy and excitement. Emily found something to be excited about, and she’s all in!
Look at the precious box she created for donations “to change someone’s life!”
Emily, daughter of Tim and Susan Elliott, didn’t stop there. She and her grandparents, CRF sponsors Trish and Don Elliott, attend the Church of Christ in Dimmitt, Texas where Emily’s spoken to a class there about donating.
And according to a letter we received from Emily, it’s working! They’ve collected “a ton of money” for CRF!
Jesus said the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. Many times we associate this with the innocence and purity of children. But I think Jesus wasn’t just referring to the fact that children are unpolluted. They are also unfiltered.
Jesus sees the exuberant approach children take to life. The way they go all in. The joy they take in doing and creating. The excitement of knowing a life is going to be changed!
Emily closed her letter to CRF by saying, “Well, I sure hope you like my idea!”
Emily, I LOVE your idea! I’m so glad you have a heart to help the less fortunate. And I’m thankful you let God’s love shine through you to those around you—because it’s contagious. I pray for more hearts like yours. And I really do hope you collect a TON of money for CRF, so we can change someone’s life – lots of someones!
– Kevin Wasner, CRF Executive Director
