Childlike Wonder

There are four questions for me to ponder in my reflection tonight. They are:

1. How do we who are no longer children receive the mysteries of the reign of God?
2. Is there a place in our hearts for childlike wonder?
3. For taking delight in promises?
4. For expecting great things?

 These are easy questions, but the are also really tough when you answer them honestly. Question one reminds  me of my CCD kids. They are high school sophomores at the ages of 15 and 16. They are volatile. They are young but they are no longer 'children'. However when they are taught the truth they seem to not want to receive these mysteries of light. One has even called me 'weird' in the sense of how could I even believe in this crap or live like that. I remember when I once was that same way. The world revolved around me (hey, I'm not gonna lie, some days it still does ;) and I didn't care about God or a lot of things for that matter. But many years and small conversions later I have gotten to where I am today. How do I receive these mysteries of the reign of God? I'd have to say in two ways: 1) In Awe and Wonder or 2) In disgust. And these are usually my first impressions. Take for example the New Translation of the English Roman Missal. I thought it was ridiculous the first time I heard some of the changes. However, over time and education, it turned to Awe and Wonder. Now, I LOVE it! So when I receive new wonders, I need to work on receiving them in awe. To want to get to know why they are that way and then I usually fall in love with the wisdom.
This brings me to the second question. Yes, there is a place in our hearts for childlike wonder. Mine has some but it's definitely a work in progress. Hence the disgust part. I am not perfect and will never be, but I think I like myself a whole lot better when I have more of a childlike wonder in my heart.
To take delight in promises? Uh that's a hard one. This reflection talks about the 'new shoot' sprouting from Jesse's stump.  Issiah's "new shoot" is a person, Jesus. So if the promises I'm delighting in are those of Christ, I have to take delight in them, He only promises the best for me. From others, I'm a bit more skeptical I guess.
To expect great thing? We can't all receive great things all the time, otherwise nothing would be great. I guess I have to expect that God has great things for me otherwise I'd be a lousy Catholic. When those great things are to come to me, I haven't the foggiest idea, but when I look back at all the great things I have done in life, 85% of the time they were because God had put me there. There's no way I would've received any of those great things if I would've gone on my own path and not let God lead me to them.
These are great Advent questions that I'd probably have better answers for if it wasn't 2:30am. Oh I need some sleep, have to be up for work in 3 1/2 hours!