I'm at the stove cooking brussel sprouts and fish. The girls are not thrilled. Cerys and Bailey are at the table coloring. Cerys draws something that looks like a goblet and says, "Mummy, look I drew a glass that Jesus drank wine out of!" She's so proud. "Oh, honey that's great, well done." Just for the record, I have no clue where she gets this from. One day I was making a cake and when I got the vegetable oil out of the cabinet Cerys exclaims, "Oh Mummy, that's the wine Jesus drinks!" What? Anyway.
After I congratulate her on her drawing Jesus' wine goblet they ask what is for dinner. I tell them and Bailey shouts "Ewww, gross!" Then Cerys says, "Will my teachers and friends be in heaven Mummy?" Whoa. That's a loaded question. I start by saying that we believe what the Bible, the Word of God says and that it says if we believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths- believe that Jesus is God's son and that we are sinners- then we will be saved and will live with Him forever in heaven. "Ya, so will my teacher be in heaven?" I say, "Well honey, I don't know you could ask her what she believes." Then she goes on to say, "Well can I take my dolls and toys to heaven?" I explain, "No, honey you won't need any of that there." Bailey, who has been attached to a pink stuffed lion since she was 6 months old pipes up, "Uh, what? I HAVE TO TAKE LIONEY." Dang. I feel like I'm just digging a hole deeper and deeper. "Well girls, heaven is just such a wonderful place that you won't even think about your toys and dolls. God has prepared such a wonderful place and you will be so surprised and it will just be so neat!" (Trying to save face here) Bailey says, "But I will cry without Lioney!" I say, "Well, did you know the Bible says there are no tears in heaven- there will be nothing for you to be sad about!" Cerys "Oh Mummy, you are so funny!" I'm not trying to be funny here, just telling her what the Bible says.
Cerys then asks, "So what happens if you don't believe in Jesus, where do you go?" Wow. Why must I have to answer these questions alone?? "Um, well again we believe what the Bible says" and so I gently (they are only 6 and 4 yrs old!) explain what the Bible says hell is like. I just get blank stares from them. I can only imagine that Cerys might show up at school tomorrow telling her teacher she is going to hell if she does not believe. Then Bailey grabs her Lioney and marches over to me with this look on her face and says, "Well, I don't want to go to heaven, and I'm never eating fish or wine, EVER!" And she marches out of the kitchen. Cerys continues to color her wine goblet.
Bailey did eat her fish and they both gagged eating ONE brussel sprout. As Cerys was making gagging noises I made her get up from the table and stand over the trash can (rubbish bin) in case she threw up. I'm feeling like a real winner tonight. Did I mention that Addison started the day off by saying, "Go away!" when I went in to get her this morning? I explained to her that she was so tired from her late night shenanigans of crying and calling out for Daddy and that perhaps after her nap this afternoon she would be happier. And she was.
Goodnight.
10 comments:
You're doing great. And someday, if they match the stereotype, your little British'uns will LOVE Brussels sprouts.
I love the conversation! It never ceases to amaze me what they are thinking and how God can use them any time.
I am feeling your pain...I ALWAYS get the "boys are different than girls" questions when Sean isnt around!! Sounds like you handled it great!!
Oh, bahahahaha, Charity! I'm sorry but I can laugh because I can soooo relate! Brian calls me the overexplainer. Sometimes I wonder why I feel the need to launch into the whole explanation (of anything). It's always a simplified version but then I still find myself digging that hole and wondering how I'm going to get out without completely freaking my kids out. Oh, this makes me laugh!
Wow, tough crowd! Next time, try "Ask your father!" :)
Aww, poor you! Being a mom is tough stuff, huh? God is using you in their lives whether you feel like you're doing a good job or not...keep at it! :-)
Wow, sounds like you did a great job explaining to them. I hate those tough questions, and honestly sometimes don't answer them quite as well as you did.
Okay I know I'm supposed to be encouraging but fish and brussel sprouts! What on earth were you thinking?! Is that an American dish?
I got asked those questions a lot by other people's kids. My answers were always that if you didn't know Jesus you didn't get in; that hell was a place away from God and that's awful; and as for Liony, seriously, who knows! ;-) All that Bailey needs will be in Heaven so if she still needs Liony when she gets there, he'll be there. Okay, now everyone can shoot me down for being unholy ;-)
I have one thought! Cheese sauce!!!!! I love Brussel Sprouts, but they HAVE to be baby brussel sprouts or else they taste too bitter. Be thankful, my kids never ask these kinds of questions. Makes me feel incredibly guilty.
I remember gagging over brussel sprouts as a kid but they're one of my favorite vegetables now so I would say don't worry there.
Little people are so interesting...always thinking but we're just now sure how they are processing what they hear. I think you did just fine!
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