Look Momma, It's God!

Having a three year old always leads to interesting conversation and most the time I end up stuttering and "ummmming" my way through explanations of Jack's "whys." When it comes to God I've been especially befuddled because I myself haven't quite figured it all out yet. It is very important to us as parents that our kids know God and Jesus as a personal relationship and not these imaginary characters that they pray to before they eat dinner and go to bed. So we try to encourage Jack to just talk to God about anything he wants. But Jack is having a hard time just talking into the air and doesn't quite understand that God is there listening even when he can't see Him. To be quite honest I still have a hard time with that sometimes too. Most of our conversing with God right now is about being scared and asking for protection. But once again I feel that Jack thinks I'm crazy that I expect this God that he can't even see to keep the wolves and bad guys away from our house. He likes my explanation of angels though because I explained that they are warriors with swords...and that makes them cool. I guess because he can picture them they make more sense in his world. But the other day we were at Hobby Lobby and he saw an angel on top of a Christmas tree and he said, "Look Momma, it's God!" I explained that it wasn't God but an angel but he refused to believe me because it looked like a girl in a dress and didn't have a sword. So I just gave up.

But I have hope that some of it is making sense...at least I have found a way to keep him excited in learning about Jesus. Well, actually my Mimi found it. She bought Jack this beautiful Advent calendar and every day he gets to pull out a little book with a short section of the Christmas story in it. We read the story and then he gets to hang the little book on his Christmas tree. He already understands that Christmas is about Jesus...or is supposed to be, and he is constantly wanting to skip ahead and read the book with baby Jesus on the cover. But the other day we were listening to Christmas music and he heard the word Savior. He asked me what is a savior and I explained that Jesus is our Savior. He said, "No, Jesus is a baby. Maybe it's Santa!" Ugh!

I just keep reminding myself that he is only 3 and of the male gender and so I can't expect him to fully grasp who God is...heck, I'm still figuring it out too. And that is what I think is the most important part of this is realizing that despite my inability to convey to my son how to know God, God is always seeking him...and me.