Vroom, vroom

Jack tugged at his big sister Poppy's hand as they walked to the park. Poppy said this was "walk time." But Jack liked "play time." His bright blue toy dump truck was sitting at home next to his red fire engine. Driving them in and out of the toy garage was fun — "vroom, vroom!" Walking in the park was slow.

Poppy chatted away about the trees and flowers as they walked to the duck pond. Poppy liked trees, with their fat brown trunks, knobby feet, and bushy green hair on top. She wanted Jack to like them as much as his truck and fire engine. Jack was eager to take the quick path home, to "vroom, vroom" them in and out of the garage.

The next day Poppy said she had an idea.  Jack didn't know what an "idea" was, but he knew it must be good because Poppy seemed pleased. They were going to buy "special seeds." Jack liked the garden centre. They had swings and a slide there, and he could sit on a big wooden elephant and eat a sticky bun.

So off they trotted. After Poppy bought the seeds, they returned home.

Poppy wouldn't tell him what the special seeds were for. Jack thought they were for Olly the cat's supper. Carrying a trowel and watering can from the potting shed, Poppy started digging little holes. She asked Jack to put a few seeds in each hole, cover them with soil, and water them carefully, Jack liked this. It was different from playing with his trucks and vrooming them in and out of his toy garage.

The next days were warm and sunny.

"The sun will help these little seeds," Poppy said. "We'll water them and watch them sprout, and soon we'll have big, sunny yellow flowers."

Jack didn't want to wait for the flowers. He wanted to see them now!

"You know," said Poppy, "these seeds are like you and me. Just as the sun and water help them to grow into beautiful flowers, so God loves us. He helps us grow and keeps us warm and happy. As the sun warms the seeds and makes them sprout, so Love gives us the thoughts that tell us how to learn new things like tying our shoelaces and writing our name."

Jack had tried many times to tie his shoelaces and write his name. But it was hard.

Thinking about himself and the seeds all cosy and snug in God's love made him feel happy. He would ask God to help him do hard things.

Jack watered the seeds and kept Olly's fluffy paws off the wet soil. He went to have a vroom, vroom with his truck and fire engine, but he raced back to see if sprouts had appeared. They took a long time to grow, and Poppy said he needed "patience." He didn't know what that word meant. Poppy said it meant he needed to be happy doing other things. Then it wouldn't seem so long.

One day, after lots of sunshine, Jack lay on his tummy looking at the soil. And he saw tiny green shoots! He shouted for Poppy to come.

She was pleased with Jack because he had been patient and found things to be happy about in the garden, putting out crusts for the birds and water in their bowl under the apple tree. He'd watered the seeds every day and kept Olly away.

The sprouts grew tall, strong, and leafy, and the little buds grew big and fat. Jack watched and watered them. Then one morning there was a row of bright yellow sunflowers. They were so tall!

The next day Jack took his shoes out of the closet and started to tie the laces.

It wasn't easy, but he remembered how he had been patient with the seeds. He needed to be happy doing other things, and one way was to thank God for showing him before he started. So Jack thanked God for giving him the right thoughts to show him where to put his fingers. He practised and practised. And soon he could do it!

Jack still liked to vroom, vroom with his blue truck and red fire engine. But now he had learned something new. He'd learned how God cares for us with so much love, making us grow. And he learned what that funny word patience means!

Being happy doing other things makes waiting very quick.