Tuesday, November 18, 2008

we're gonna die!

11/17 at chase palm park.

at chase palm park the other day, a little boy about sparrow's age was playing with a jeep. he was really friendly and kept on coming over to our blanket and running his jeep in sparrow's "space." i could tell she was slightly put off by his outgoing behavior, and i used the opportunity to try to teach her to respond kindly and engage with the lad. after awhile, she decided to talk to him. she bent over, looked into his face, and said enthusiastically, "we're gonna die!"

ha! i couldn't help laughing. we'd had a conversation about dying that morning--i was telling her all about heaven and how all things must eventually die. well evidently the kid had had some concept of death, too, because he looked a little worried, and said, "...no we're not!" then he ran off and didn't come back.

isn't it interesting that he had been introduced to the concept of death but didn't know it was going to happen to him. and he obviously didn't know that there could be a good side to death. i want my children to be acquainted with the idea of redemption in death: eternity with the Lord. yes, it is sad and unnatural, as our spirits obviously "know" that we were not made to die. and yet, the sooner kids grasp the reality of it, and the glory for christians on the other side, the better. these girls have to grow up to be warriors in a difficult world. we are not to raise them in expectation of a comfortable, easy life. kingdom-minded. i think that was sparrow's first attempt to spread the gospel! i am sure as time goes on she will learn to soften the approach.