Ade Jensen: Kids and Christians [Guest Post]

Ade Jensen, this young woman has known me her whole life, because I am her dad.  She is a strong, confident and passionate young lady, who I am very proud of.


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Hello I’m Adriahna or Ade, John Jensen’s daughter. I’ve been thinking and thinking what is
worth guest blog posting? I originally wanted to post on sexuality specifically homosexuality,
but lately I have to admit it all seems irrelevant. The last two years of my life I’ve been dealing/
struggling, whatever words are typically used to describe; telling your family and yourself that
hey…. I think I’m gay. I like this girl. I love this girl. It’s been a whirlwind of emotions and
growth, and I must say I am in a very happy and secure spot in my life now.

The reason I say irrelevant is that I’ve been working with children a lot lately. I work at an art
studio for kids teaching them all kinds of art styles and how to use different mediums. I’ve been
working there almost a year, but recently quit my other job in order to focus on this art studio
and well… my well-being. I can’t explain what kind of growth and change occurs within the
self when working with kids. With my own experience seeing all these different types of people
interacting with others, most of all themselves, my whole perspective on life, and humanity has
changed drastically. I must note: you have to be open and listening, absorbing, and thinking.
Otherwise working with kids could be simply, working with kids.

Mather 18:1-6
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of
heaven?”
He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: “I tell you the truth,
unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of
heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of
heaven.
“And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But if anyone causes
one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large
millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea…”

I just want to talk about one lesson I’ve been learning recently. I was doing some art
curriculum in our high school class rather than teaching. My friend was right next to me and I
commented, “man this is the loudest class I have, it’s weird you would think the little kids would
be more rowdy.” And his response was: “They know the most words.”

Being a lame artist who thinks the smallest of things is profound, I found this very profound.
Children know the least words. They speak with their colors in art. They speak with their big
hugs, and they speak with their tears. Every emotion a child feels, you will see it and understand
it. A child will never preach at you. When a young class gets loud I realized the reason for the
noise is that all the kids are talking about their unicorns and making strange noises with their
mouths. They blabber and laugh loudly; they fall off their chairs and can’t seem to stay still.

I have a really hard time with the kids who will quickly give up on a drawing and make up
their minds that they will not touch that drawing again. If you sit next to the child and try to figure out what it is exactly they do not like with their art work the harder it is to get them to
try. Words do not work very well, the younger they are. I have learnt that I have to literally grab
their paintbrush and start fixing the piece until they get mad enough at me, they want to do it.
I watch how frustrated they become with their piece of work because it doesn’t look how they
want it to. Kids dream big, and they have very great visions. Their worlds are full of colors and
the imaginary, and they do not use their words to create that world. When I imagine an adult
humbling his or herself like a child, I imagine no masks.

It’s hard for me to connect to a lot of people on a level that I need. I can do the small talk thing
really well, I am very good at socializing with practically anyone. I am John Jensen’s daughter,
I have to be good with my words. But what I need is a deep emotional connection to people
that makes me feel I am not alone. That’s what is hard to find. Grown –ups like to walk around
with their words and their clothes trying to hide who they really are, trying to project another
image. Children walk around with their clothes expressing who they really are, their emotions
protruding through their faces. They do not have any masks. They lie, but they aren’t lying to
deceive you into thinking they are someone they’re not. They lie to obtain a cookie.

Most of all… children do not care if you have different colored skin or are with someone of the
same-sex. They will embarrassingly point it out, but give them a minute and it’s like nothing
happened. They don’t give a shit about your theology, as long as you are nice to them. They still
hug you, they still love you. Children are little bundles of selfish, beautiful, and simple love.
They do not wear masks, and they know the least words. Experiencing a child’s love is the most
exciting and awesome experience because you know that they are not faking it. You know that,
that child genuinely loves you for who you are.

So I am challenged as a Christian to take off my mask daily, and love fully. I will try not to hide
my emotions and I will try to use little words doing so. So it’s all irrelevant; all this theology, all
of this arguing over who is right or wrong. I am gay and it’s irrelevant to a child. I love a woman,
and they love me, and I love them..