Thursday, June 8, 2017

Groan...

Yup, still sick! It's day three. I can feel the slightest bit of improvement, but I had forgotten that I had volunteered to watch the grands tomorrow while Micah works at a garage sale for her MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group. I think she'll just take them with her if I don't feel better, but it's a lot of little ones to keep track of.

A random thought ran through my brain, so that's what my post is about, lol. Remember the post a few days back where I showed you the old Catholic cemetery? Well, a few days after that I went for that same walk with my daughter and the grands. We got to that little cemetery and I was talking about it with Micah. She had never really known what it was since it's way off the beaten track. After a few minutes, Hazel came up with two of her classic "whopper questions". First of all, "Grandma, what's a cemetery?" How to explain that without making it sound scary to a four year old. But she seemed satisfied when I told her that after our spirit leaves our body and goes to heaven, our body is put in the cemetery. Someday I'll explain further, but she was on to something else by that time.

Hazel's second question came as we were walking back. "Grandma, do people still have to die on that cross?" I'm weeping as I type this, wondering how often these innocent little folks have such misconceptions but never ask. Bless her heart! I reassured her that, no, nobody will die on that cross. Then I tried to explain that we have crosses to remind us of what Jesus did for us. Again, I hope to have the chance to talk further on that in the future.
I guess this makes me wonder. Yes, we can explain things as questions arise, but how many things are they taught in Sunday School or AWANA that they don't understand and nobody has time to explain because there are so many children standing in line to say their verses. How many misconceptions get planted in their  minds and they don't ask questions? It's a big job being a parent or grandparent, isn't it? We have to be very vigilant and walk alongside them spiritually so they know where they can go for answers. Are we trying to teach them things that are too advanced for them?

My daughter and her hubby have four little ones, nine months up to five years. I know it's difficult even to have time to help the girls memorize their AWANA verse each week without doing any extra, but it needs to be done.  Some of those verses are probably too advanced for their age and explanations are needed. We can't count on AWANA and Sunday School teachers to do this for us. The chaos of the day can wipe out our good intentions, but we'll keep on trying.


Little Miss Hazel sticking out her tongue, lol.
Okay, I'm done! :)
Now I'll go take some aspirin...
Shalom, my friends.

8 comments:

  1. sorry you are still feeling poorly! your situation reminds me of when I got sick and was going to babysit and had to cancel. better to not have the kids sick too, right? I think God will be with your kids and it is clear that the kids are asking questions and getting more information from you already! :)

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  2. Hazel is such an amazing girl!

    The cross is also - since Jesus made this sign holy and able to make us healthy - also a symbol of a big hug (cross-beam), and a symbol of a connection between heaven and earth (stringer).

    Hope you will feel better soon! I LOVE aspirin! :)

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  3. I hope you get to feeling better. Perhaps some sunshine on bare skin? And aspirin!
    Those spiritual questions are so important. I'm glad that Hazel's Gramma takes the time to help her understand. I think that's part of our job as grands, don't you? Keep leading them to Jesus.

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  4. Kids do get confused. They do a lot of wondering.
    You are a very nice granny, Lisa.
    I hope you are feeling better now.

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  5. I count myself so very fortunate that I've had all 5 of my grands with me while their parents worked and now these last two living right here with us. I have all the time to answer questions and listen to their concerns.
    Just have to share something the littlest said when he was 4. In the middle of a lovely walk he stopped and said, Granny, I'm sure gonna miss you when you go to heaven. Both of had tears in our eyes after that one. In fact it still makes me teary even as I write it.

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  6. Lisa, what a wonderful granny you are to recognize that little ones sometimes have misconceptions or misunderstood ideas about thing spiritual. My grandparents were too busy trying to make a living to spend time with me but I tried to do better with my own granddaughter. Not sure it took, however. On the other hand, I'm still here, and she does call me and seems to respect my views. I hope you feel better soon.

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  7. You are so right. And many children have misconceptions and don't ever even know to ask at all! Teaching is ongoing, and that's why sometimes people have those "aha!" moments when the light bulb comes on, and something gets explained properly for the first time.

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Thanks for dropping by! I'd love to hear your thoughts! :)