Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam!

Today was the first Sunday of the new year (I know it wasn’t technically the first Sunday but it was the first Sunday we had church thanks to a snow day last week) and a new year means a new class. This also marks Aiden’s first Sunday in the children’s Primary program. At 18 months children in our church are eligible to attend the nursery program which involves two hours of games, songs, play dough, coloring, snacks, etc. The year they turn 4, they get to join the older children in the more structured Primary program as “Sunbeams!”

Aiden has been a big fan of church because “that’s where [his] friends are!” He was excited to start Primary because one friend in particular, Boston, has been in there for the past year. So after the first hour of church we headed for the Primary room hand-in-hand with Boston and Boston’s little brother, Roe. There was some hesitation as Roe turned off at the nursery and I directed Aiden further down the hall but he went right into the room with Boston and found a seat with the other Sunbeams.

The tears came when Boston’s teacher directed him to his own class’s seats. I asked if the boys could sit together and the nice mother working in the Primary asked Boston to sit with Aiden until he “felt comfortable in Primary.” I explained it had nothing to do with Primary, but that he was crying because he was separated from Boston. Boston joined Aiden with the Sunbeams and he was immediately happy once again. I snuck off wanting to stay and watch but knowing I really wasn’t needed there.

About 30 minutes later I returned to the Primary room to drop off newsletters for the other women serving in that organization (I am responsible for the monthly Relief Society newsletter) and saw Aiden standing at the front of the room holding a picture of Moses while several other Sunbeams held pictures of other prophets and the kids were all singing. Boston was back with his own class and everyone seemed pretty happy! At the end of the 3-hour block, I found Aiden in his smaller classroom with a lovely drawing that said “I am a child of God.” The smile on his face matched his picture.

I’m sure in no time at all, he’ll be singing:



Jesus wants me for a Sun-beam
To shine for Him each day
In every way try to please Him
At home, at school, at play
A Sun-beam! A Sun-beam!
Jesus wants me for a Sun-beam!
A Sun-beam! A Sun-beam!
I’ll be a Sunbeam for Him!

(Each time the children make it to the “beam” part of the song they jump up in their seats. It’s a favorite of the Junior Primary crowd!)

Aiden with his drawing


Can you believe this kid isn’t a baby any more?! It just blows my mind some days!