Skip to main content

Conversation matters


I love conversations with Oliver.  And the other day, I had some that were the jot-it-down-so-I-don’t-forget-it kind.  Ever have those? They’re the best…especially when they involve some sort of proof that what I’m teaching my child is, in fact, sinking in.

I attend a weekly women’s Bible study on Thursday mornings.  There is childcare for my kids.  But it’s more than just childcare.  They actually teach your children the same lesson that the adults learn each week.  They teach songs, and all sorts of other cool stuff.  Last week, we were on our way home from Bible study.  I decided to start asking Oliver what he had learned about in his class.  He gave the typical answer, “God.”  I’m sure he did learn about God, but I was hoping for a little more.

After some unsuccessful probing, I settled on the fact that he wasn’t going to tell me all about Abram and God’s promise that he would give him a son.  I decided to change the subject.  We put on some music.  And as always, Oliver asked me to sing.  I had lost my voice a couple days earlier, and so it was still quite raspy.   So I said, “I can’t sing very well right now, my voice isn’t back yet.”  His response (the same response he has to almost everything now days): “Why?”  So I proceeded to tell him that I had lost my voice, but that I should pray to God, asking Him to give me my voice back.  And we did.  We prayed there in the car together for God to give me my voice back.

After praying, I talked to Oliver about how God helps us.  I reminded him that when he was sick a couple weeks ago, we asked God to help him feel better, and he answered that prayer.  Then, I asked him how else God has helped him.  His answer: “He helped me with that big gun.”  Hmm…not quite the answer I was looking for.  “How did God help with you your gun?” I asked.  “He helped me pull that thing back and shoot it.”  (sigh)   Ok, so we aren’t really gun people.  But he got one of those big Nerf guns for Christmas, and it's one of his favorite toys these days.  So, if he wants to give God the credit for giving him the ability to cock his gun, why not?

The next morning, Oliver was sitting at the table as I was getting his breakfast ready.  We were chatting, when all of a sudden he exclaimed, “Mom, God gave you your voice back!”  It was true!  My voice had come back. And the best part about this: Oliver recognized that it was God’s doing.

I want for my kids to go through life fully aware of God’s incredible power.  I want them to know that He has the ability to do anything.  I want them to be aware of even the simple things that God has given us to remind us that He is here.  But they won’t know about these things if I don’t make a conscious effort to talk about them.  I can’t expect them to know that they can ask God for help if I don’t show them how to do that.

It seems like a simple thing.  But as a parent, how often do you talk to your kids about a problem you have, pray with them about that problem, and then point out when God fixes the problem?  Probably not often enough.  I sure don’t.  The lost voice scenario was a reminder to me that my kids are paying attention.  I don’t want to waste that.  

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

In Summer...

Bees’ll buzz.   Kids’ll blow dandelion fuzz.   And I’ll be doing whatever snow does in summer. Tee hee, ok so I couldn’t resist.   Moving on.   Summer is here!   This is the time of the year that if you are a parent (especially a stay-at-home parent), you might find yourself in one of two categories: Parent A: You have been counting down the days for weeks now and it’s finally here!   You have already made a list of all the things you plan to do with your kids, including craft projects, trips to the splash park, and of course, the library’s summer reading program.   You’ve spent countless hours, exhausting the likes of Pinterest and parenting blogs in order to come up with plenty of “Free things to do with your kids” ideas.   You’re excited.   You’re ready. Parent B: You’re still in denial that the school year is over.   You are wondering how in the world you’re going to get your grocery shopping done, now that you have to lug ...

Thing 3: Words over Time

It was my first day at a brand new school.   I was in the 8 th grade, and my family had just moved from Kansas City, Missouri to Redlands, California.   I was a fish out of water.   And any kid who has ever had to move knows that the most dreaded part of the first day in a new school is lunch time.   It’s quite a predicament.   You have to choose between being bold and asking some random person if you can sit with them, risking total rejection…or sitting by yourself and in turn, looking like you clearly have no friends, risking your reputation for the rest of the school year…and possibly, beyond.   On this particular first day, I had made it all the way to Social Studies, my 4 th class, without making up my mind on which option was less painful.   A decision would have to be made soon, though, since lunch came right after Social Studies.   Little did I know at the time, words were being said, on my behalf, to make sure that pain was not what t...

Thing 2: Love over Time

Love. I have actually struggled to write about this one, which is odd because love seems to be an obvious, right? When it comes to parenting, we all know that we are supposed to love our kids. Allow me to go out on a limb here and assume that we all do, in fact, love our kids. However, the more I have read this portion of the book (Losing Your Marbles/Playing for Keeps), and thought about it, I have come to the conclusion that love is not simple. But it’s so incredibly important. According to “Marbles,” “Love over time is the one thing that matters most.” I typically try to put all of this in the context of my own experience as a parent. However, in this case, I think I will share my story as the result of love over time from my own mother and father. My parents were so good at communicating, “I love you.” I never went to bed at night without hearing it. I never left for school in the mornings without hearing it. My parents never failed to tell me they were proud of me. T...