This morning at church we sang a song with a refrain that says, "Por siempre Dios es fuerte, por siempre Dios es fiel, por siempre esta conmigo, por siempre y siempre, por siempre." The words are meaningful, praising God's strength, His faithfulness, His companionship.
As we finished singing, three-year old Alec turned around and asked, "Mommy, what "por siempre" means?" As I explained that "por siempre" means "forever," I thought it was so sweet that he was paying such close attention to the words. Then tonight as I found myself singing the refrain while putting the boys to bed, he inquired, "What means 'fuerte?'"
It's fascinating and beautiful to watch little minds at work. Little ears are listening to what is said and sung and taught around them. It's humbling and sometimes a little frightening, too!
Later as we finished our bedtime story (which included the aforementioned discussion of whether animals are good or bad) I remarked that in Heaven - or rather, the New Earth - all the animals will be very nice and people and animals will be at peace with each other. "I want go to Heaven," Alec declared. I assured him that I did, too, and that we can all go if we tell Jesus about the bad things we have done and ask Him to forgive us.
For context, it's important that I mention how Ian and Alec really seem to dislike the word "bad." The truth is we don't use that word most of the time (more often something like "naughty" instead.) But even if we are simply correcting one brother, the other will often try to intervene and interject, "Ian/Alec not a bad boy! He a good boy!"
In fact, this happened just prior to bedtime when I scolded Ian for an act of disobedience and Alec jumped in to defend his brother. At the time it seemed like another "great opportunity" to impart theological truth so I actually responded, "Well, Ian is a bad boy. And Mommy is often a bad girl. We are all bad many times. That's why Jesus died on the cross, for all the bad things we have done!"
I'm not really sure if that truth sunk in or not. But apparently the part about Heaven did! Because when it was Alec's turn to pray, he said thank you for many things but he especially said something along the lines of, "Thank you, I go be in Heaven. Amen."
Melt. My. Heart.
Little ears are listening ... am I watching what I'm saying??
As we finished singing, three-year old Alec turned around and asked, "Mommy, what "por siempre" means?" As I explained that "por siempre" means "forever," I thought it was so sweet that he was paying such close attention to the words. Then tonight as I found myself singing the refrain while putting the boys to bed, he inquired, "What means 'fuerte?'"
It's fascinating and beautiful to watch little minds at work. Little ears are listening to what is said and sung and taught around them. It's humbling and sometimes a little frightening, too!
Later as we finished our bedtime story (which included the aforementioned discussion of whether animals are good or bad) I remarked that in Heaven - or rather, the New Earth - all the animals will be very nice and people and animals will be at peace with each other. "I want go to Heaven," Alec declared. I assured him that I did, too, and that we can all go if we tell Jesus about the bad things we have done and ask Him to forgive us.
For context, it's important that I mention how Ian and Alec really seem to dislike the word "bad." The truth is we don't use that word most of the time (more often something like "naughty" instead.) But even if we are simply correcting one brother, the other will often try to intervene and interject, "Ian/Alec not a bad boy! He a good boy!"
In fact, this happened just prior to bedtime when I scolded Ian for an act of disobedience and Alec jumped in to defend his brother. At the time it seemed like another "great opportunity" to impart theological truth so I actually responded, "Well, Ian is a bad boy. And Mommy is often a bad girl. We are all bad many times. That's why Jesus died on the cross, for all the bad things we have done!"
I'm not really sure if that truth sunk in or not. But apparently the part about Heaven did! Because when it was Alec's turn to pray, he said thank you for many things but he especially said something along the lines of, "Thank you, I go be in Heaven. Amen."
Melt. My. Heart.
Little ears are listening ... am I watching what I'm saying??
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