Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Theology With an Eight Year-Old

Putting my children to bed is always interesting. They ask wacky questions ("Will you come to my NBA draft even if it's on a Friday night?") or ask for stories about when I was a kid ("Tell us again about the time you sold everything in your toy box and got in trouble!")

Anything to prolong going to sleep.

The other night, Youngest was scared about something. After checking underneath the bed and in the closet, I assured him he was safe. Kid wasn't buying it and said he couldn't fall asleep.

"Then don't worry about going to sleep," I said. "Just rest your eyes and make up a story in your head. You can say your prayers, or count to ten, maybe talk to God."

He stopped rubbing his eyes and looked at me. "Talk to God?"

"It's an idea." I looked at the clock. Almost 9pm. I had stuff to do and was willing to try anything. "Maybe you could ask him to watch over you."

Kid sat straight up in bed. "Mommy, I watch the news with Grandpa."

Fantastic.

"I see how people get murdered and killed every single day," he said, justifying the need for future therapy. "If God can't watch over them, how is he going to watch over me?"

I took a deep breath. Don't you just love him?

"That's a very good question," I said.

Youngest folded his arms and waited for an answer. I did my best.

"I ask myself that same question every day. All I can tell you is that we make sure you are as safe as possible and momma, nana, and grandpa are all right here in the next room. We're not going to let anything happen to you, okay?"

I kissed him on the forehead and gave him an extra-long squeeze. Kid went to sleep after that - comforted more by his Momma than by the big Poppa.

Well. I do have a better track record.

5 Comments:

At 7/30/2008, Blogger Chase Squires said...

I dunno, I was at Denver's Pride parade, and we stopped across the street from a church. There were a lot of people from the church with signs, they seemed intent on assuring me that God seems to hate a lot of people.

Say, did you see today the story about the evangelist preacher in Mobile. Apparently he killed his wife and stuffed her body in a freezer, three years ago. They arrested him this week, while he was preaching at a revival.

Tell me more about this "religion" stuff ...

:-)

 
At 7/30/2008, Blogger John in IL said...

Hey Chase, did you hear the story about the crazy religious people who fly planes into buildings?

 
At 7/31/2008, Blogger Chase Squires said...

-Ism's in my opinion are not good. A person should not believe in an -ism, he should believe in himself. I quote John Lennon, "I don't believe in The Beatles, I just believe in me." Good point there. After all, he was the walrus.

 
At 7/31/2008, Blogger kate said...

I could be the walrus. I'd still have to bum rides off people.

 
At 7/31/2008, Blogger John in IL said...

Don't be hatin' on the "isms", Chase.

Humanitarianism is ok.

Idealism is, well, ideal.

And who doesn't like optimism?

 

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