Today I’m linking up with Lisa-Jo for Five-Minute Friday.
Join me!
The rules: Write for five minutes. No editing, revising, overthinking, or backtracking. Just write.
Today’s prompt: Worship
Music is in my soul…it’s always been there.
It whispers and sometimes dances loudly throughout my days…
Whether we’re going to the potty or reading stories or playing on swings, it seems there is always a song going on at our house.
And while I know that music isn’t the only way to worship, it’s a big part of how I do.
And because my days are spent with a sweet toddler girl, she is starting to reflect that. It usually comes in the form of Jesus Loves Me or You are My Sunshine or Bushel and a Peck or another of our bedtime songs.
I hear the joy in her voice, and even more in her heart, as she learns what it means to sing her heart out and worship, even if she doesn’t completely understand just yet.
It’s something that fills my heart and reminds me that the way I live speaks to her heart…And I need to shine Him always.
Perhaps one of my sweetest reminders happened just last night.
With hubby out of town, I had to take Mae to praise team practice with me.
During our second song, I heard a little voice. One that grew stronger and joined with our voices.
Hers.
She was singing, praising, worshiping…and it was beautiful.
She’s already starting to shine Him.
So beautiful Mel! I love hearing my children sing to the Lord and sing about him. The most simple songs are the sweetest.
xoxoxox
I agree…hearing her little voice praising Him is just the best. Have a great day, sweet friend!
yes! i love that you wrote about your sweet girl tonight (i wrote about my boy too). amazing how these babes shine what we supply. and if we supply worship, then worship they will learn. way to go, mama.
Thank you, friend! Yep…there’s so much to learn from their simple, sweet hearts. Blessings to you…have a great weekend!
LOVE! Oh how sweet. My son loves to sing his VBS songs every time we’re in the car, but he always yells at me “Mom! Don’t sing!!” Even when I’m not singing he yells at me, just in case I dared uttered one note. Sigh, they’re just so catchy, too, it’s hard not to want to belt them out. “From Genesis to Revelation… the word of God is a sure foundation………” Ack, now I’m going to have that stuck in my head… funny that my son doesn’t really sing so much as he screams the lyrics
But still, I know what you mean… nothing greater than seeing the love for the Lord shine in our kids 
Oh your little Mae is so sweet. I love the worship of little kiddos- how they are exactly what we should emulate. May she continue to grow into a worshiper of Jesus
Thank you, Angi! Blessings and happy Friday to you!
Oh I love it when the littles start worshiping… I think they are born knowing how to praise God with abandon. Love this sweet story.
Thank you, friend.
I love listening to her sing her heart out without a care of who might be around…it reminds me that every moment should point to my Father, regardless of who is watching. Or not watching. 
Blessings and happy Friday!
I love it when little ones worship. With thier tiny voices.
Singing or praying.
Mine was praying.
And I love that she is “shining like Him” and that you reflect Him and she is copying you. What a beautiful gift you are giving her!
Thank you, friend, for those sweet words.
Blessings and happy weekend to you!
How lovely that she is really getting it! My 3 year old was much more reluctant than my 6 year old on this whole “God thing.” But in the last month, he is starting to “get it” too, and I love to see that light in his eyes, as he points up and realizes that we are singing about our King. What a beautiful moment!
I agree…it’s just awesome to watch our kiddos start to understand and, then, start to shine. It’s beautiful.
Blessings and happy weekend to you!
I love this! We teach our children to worship, and then they teach us to exercise it with the purest of heart! Lovely post, friend! Happy Friday!
Thank you, sweet friend! Hope you’re having a fantastic weekend!
Mel,
What a gift you are giving your girl, and how precious, for you to hear her singing…love it
Thank you for your sweet words, friend…blessings!
How precious!! I hope you have a great weekend!
visiting from the link up!
Jessica
http://mybeautifulli.blogspot.com/
Thank you, Jessica…blessings!
Music is not necessarily part of Buddhist practice. Often silent meditation or walking meditation or chanting is prescribed. Once in a while, though, I stick on the iPod and listen to my own uplifting ensemble of music while I meditate. I believe it has the power to lift the soul.
Sounds like you have a new choir girl to add to your team.
I think what you said is good…worship looks different to everyone. I sing like crazy…and everywhere I go, even in the grocery store. That’s a big part of how I worship my Father but definitely not what everyone would choose. 😉 And I agree with you…I’m pretty sure my girl can’t wait for the day when she has her own microphone and spot on the stage.
Hope you’re having a great weekend, friend! (And thank you for the email, too!) Take care. 
“She’s already starting to shine Him”. I LOVE THAT! What a great post!! Thanks, Mel!
Thank you, Amy! Happy weekend to you!
Beautiful post, Mel. Thank you.
Thank you!
It seems some days that in the singing we can see Him and feel Him and heal places that might not otherwise be able to find a voice. Beatutiful words today as aleays! Love you sweet friend.
Thank you, friend…I hope you’re having a great weekend! (And thank you so much for the sweet email…I AM planning to reply soon!) Blessings and hugs to you!
Oh yes, Mel … the music takes us there, takes us away from here, focuses us on what is needed most.
Him.
Yes…this. Thank you, friend!
That is so fun! To hear your children begin to find their own voice for worship. I have one of those too and she sings all the time. I love to hear her voice wafting through our house in praise. Awesome!
It IS awesome…I just love to hear her little voice singing those sweet praises. I hope she never loses that desire to sing for Him.
Blessings, friend…and happy weekend!
I love this Mel! One of our greatest joys as parents I think is to watch our children truly truly enter all in to worship! It blesses every time!
Thank you, friend!
Wishing you a wonderful weekend!
So beautiful. This is how it starts. My oldest two used to belt out the Veggie tales songs in the car. Now, they are both leading worship, writing and recording music, all for His glory!
My youngest {not yet 2} has begun to sing her toddler version of Jesus Loves Me and my heart just melts. I’m on the worship team at my church so my home is always filled with praise whether it’s on the radio or being sung a capella. But her voice? So small and pure? It brings tears to my eyes.
Yes…there’s something so incredibly precious about those little voices finding their songs. It’s just beautiful…and definitely worthy of teary eyes. 😉 Blessings, friend…have a wonderful week!
Dear Mel
Our Lord asked us to bring our children to Him. What a blessings to know that He loves them even more than we do! You Maelie is über cute!
Blessings XX
Mia
Oh, thank you, sweet friend.
Blessings and hugs right back to you! Have a beautiful week. 
To hear those sweet little voices sing from their hearts even silly made up songs is so sweet. I am blessed that our church encourages the children in our church by allowing them to sing on stage whenever they want to just sing to the Lord. It teaches to never be ashamed of Him. I love seeing your pictures of Mae here each time I visit.
I remember my boys raising their hands in worship in the van when they were little – or in church – and my rebel before he was a rebel bursting out in song in Wal-Mart to “Celebrate. Rejoice the day of the Lord.” Those memories show seeds buried deep – and they give me much comfort as they grow older – and walk through to teen to grown up – and they keep their faith more inside than outside – and I wait – in faith – knowing those seeds are there. What a blessing, though, to have the gift to sing beautiful. I don’t have that gift – but my boys – they write – some of them – and I love seeing that grow! Thanks for sharing your heart on worship – and your story of your daughter – such beautiful encouragement!
Thank you for sharing that and for your sweet words, friend. It’s truly a blessing to watch them start to shine, isn’t it?
Have a great week…I hope it’s wonderful!
I remember when my daughter would sing and raise her hands in abandon, she was about Mae’s age. Now she’s 12 and thinks she too cool to even sing 😉 Music is my favorite way to worship and connect with God. There is something powerful in it.
It’s my favorite way, too…and I think that’s why I smile so much when Mae breaks out in song.
Blessings, friend…have a wonderful week!
Oh, so beautiful! What a blessing to see her little heart shine! And thank you for the reminder to reflect Him to my babes. It’s a constant battle. 😉 Blessings to you, dear friend!
The thing is, there are days we battle, too…it makes those moments when she shines that much more precious, I think. Her faith is growing, and it’s beautiful to watch.
Blessings to you, too…have a wonderful week, friend!
Gah! I love this so much! My hubby and I are both music nerds and worship people and our lil guy belts out Bless the LOOOORRRRD oh my soul louder than our entire church combined. Haha. LOVE. IT.
In other news, I love your short haircut. Just had to say that.
Bless you Mel!
Ooohhh…that song is one of my favorites!
And, thank you for that. You’re sweet! 
Blessings to you, friend!
I’m enjoying reading so many share of their children worshiping. Such beautiful images! These words will stick with me…”And I need to shine Him always.” My kids are grown and are not Christ followers but my prayer will be that I “shine Him always” and hopefully help lead them to Him.
Have a beautiful weekend.
Beth
That’s a beautiful perspective…to just keep shining. You never know the lives God can impact through that.
Blessings to you, Beth!
Beautiful! I love that picture of Maelie too. Yours is the second post (out of 2) that I have read that focuses on music and worship. This post was cool too: http://homewiththeboys.net/worship-five-minute-friday/
Happy Holiday weekend friend!
Thanks for sharing the link, friend…I’ll have to hop over there.
Hope you have a great week…blessings and hugs. And enjoy tomorrow, too! 
“…the way I live speaks to her…” Oh yes, and when we live authentically before them–not perfectly, but owning our mistakes and starting anew–they see Him afresh. Beautiful.
Deb Weaver
thewordweaver.com
Thank you, friend! Blessings!
“.. I need to shine Him always.” And to be seeing this in your little girl is really so sweet and wonderful beyond words.
Visiting from FMF.
Thank you for your sweet words, Aileen, and for stopping by! Blessings!
This week I totally started crying in the car when my 2.5 year old sang all the words to “Bless the Lord O My Soul.” I am so glad all the songs we sing are being imprinted on His heart!
My almost-5-yo daughter makes up insane songs. That phase is fun, too.
That is so precious.
Mae will surprise me sometimes with how many songs she actually knows…our kiddos really are listening to everyone and everything around them! 
Thank you for sharing…blessings to you!
Oh yes, my soul sings constantly. And my daughter, like yours, has picked up on the the singing of my heart & voice. She loves to put my choir & praise team cds in her music machine and have concerts. My little one worshiping & praising God gives me a glimpse of how it must be for God to hear me praising Him as a Child of His. Thanks so much.
I love your perspective.
Thanks so much for stopping by, Mary! Have a great week. 
How beautiful. There are times we forget how much our Kiddies are watching us until we hear that ‘little voice’…
All of my Kiddies enjoy singing as much as I do and it is always awesome to hear them in the midst of a service singing to Him and knowing that He hears them and their pure form of worship…
I’ve sang to my (now 4) son since he was born. There are several things but You are my sunshine was always a fav..he belted it out as I was putting him to bed and saying prayers the other night…they for listen! Great post! Hugs FMF friend!!
I love to sing too! And one of the best parts of my week is that little sliver of time where we all sing together on Sunday morning. Some Sundays it is all I can do to join in because the worship is so overwhelming! I can’t imagine what it will be like to worship Him in person!