“Peace begins with a smile.” Mother Theresa of Calcutta.

Wow! There it was! A beautiful, ear-to-ear smile that radiated his happiness! What a welcome change from a few moments before. Earlier, this young, intellectually disabled boy was wheeled into the small worship service with a distant, almost worried, look on his face. Then the transformation occurred! One common word, immersed in a soft, simple tune changed everything for him, and everyone, in that chapel.


What was the word that awakened the joyous smile in that young boy? It was just “Hello”. That is all. Every "Worship For All" service begins quietly with the Hello Song. We sing a “hello” to each other. We share a “hello” with God. Unknowingly, we say “hello” to ourselves!
 

So what is a smile worth? No, really, how important is a person’s smile to you? What is it worth to assist another human being in a way that causes them to share a smile with you? What is it worth to temporarily remove some of life’s torment and some the day's confusion from a young disabled child? For me, it’s the focus of over 5 decades of life and development. Sometimes coaxing a smile is worth all that I can emotionally and mentally expend at that moment. A smile is a sign of connection, relief and success! Ask a family member of anyone in the intellectually disabled community. A smile is everything!

I am a smile maker for many wonderful, special needs children at one of the country’s premier respite care facilities in Northern Virginia. What a privilege it is to design and lead several small worship services each Sunday morning for children of Autism, Asperger Syndrome, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and other disabilities! There are so many people to thank for the amazing results so far. There are so many stories of smiles to tell. There is so much more work to do.

This is the  “Worship For All” blog.  It has a heavenly ending!

  

Next up:  “If God gives you a tree that grows fruit, you know it’s time to plant an orchard.”