PROMISE #21 ~ THE CHILDREN AND THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
Stop it!
Don’t do that!
I heard older sister holler in the direction of her little sister.
You can’t write in that!
Distraught, the recipient of the reprimand, my little artist-in-the-making came running to mama.
Time-out called. Referee mom enters the field in order to evaluate the play… (we are well out of time-outs this morning).
What’s going on?
My wide-eyed young one hands me her book. A book of The One-Eyed Giant based on the travels of Odysseus.
I scratched out the capital letter “G” on all these pages and made them small.
The pages in question were the title pages of each chapter (the title in all caps). The referenced letter “G” was the start of the word “GOD.” Over and over she had scribbled the letters black and replaced them with lower case “g.”
Sixteen months more seasoned, my older mama-in-the-making…
Mama! She shouldn’t write in a book!
The accuser exclaimed this, I am certain, with memories of little ones found in remote corners from time to time, joyfully shredding a library book or two. The library… I’m not sure if there is a list for repeat offenders (especially since we are now the proud owners of every re-taped and bandaged book), but in our defense… the offender was a new little one every time.
So, they have learned not to mutilate books.
Why are you doing that?
I wondered, surprised that this little artist would scuff such a lovely page.
Mommy! They are capitalizing the name of the Greek gods…
and they aren’t the ONE TRUE GOD!
So, I fixed it.
Mama jaw drops.
Oh.
Well, who would have thought? Just when I thought my little one needed to stop acting like a little child…I realized it might be better if we all started acting a little more like little children.
PROMISE #21 ~ The kingdom of heaven belongs to the children and the child-like. (Those with the faith of a child).
Matthew 19:14
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
