I don't know why this choked me up a bit, but it did

So yesterday, in Church, I noticed a young boy and his little sister sitting off by themselves. I didn't think much of it. Didn't even really notice that there weren't any parents with them. The boy was about 12, I think, and the girl is about 4.

Then while leading the music at the children's worship part of our meeting, I was struck by this little girl's dress. It was just a lovely little thing, with a lovely print. She looked very clean and neat and sweet. I remembered some more details about her--mostly that her family hadn't been to church for awhile, and that what started them coming in the first place was her brother. He was baptized about a year ago, and started bringing them all (all being his sister and his mother) to church with him. But it had been about six months or so since I've seen them around.

What choked me up was noticing them a third time as I left the building. This brother and sister had come to church all by themselves. On a bike. Well, the brother was on a bike and pulled his sister with a bike trailer attached to his bike. He was buckling her into the trailer as I went past, and adjusting the rain hood on the trailer so she'd stay warm and dry. (remember that I live in Oregon--January is not kind biking weather) He didn't have a coat, but had his bike helmet on. I wished them safe travel and hurried to my car to get on my way. I saw them last as he crossed the big intersection on his bike, pulling his sister home. To him, being at church was so important that he'd ride his bike in inclement weather, pulling his sister behind him. What can I say, it got to me. I love church and I love going, but I don't know if I'd have that same kind of devotion. I wished I could do more for him, but also reasoned that he was doing pretty well as it was. Anyone with that kind of self-discipline and fortitude is going to be just fine.