Last fall, I was at the breakfast table with my girls before church. Sarah had made some homemade apple muffins that morning, and they were just about ready to eat. Just then, Addie dramatically put her hand on her side/belly, and said, “My tummy hurts…” To which Sarah and I, not really worried but wanting her to know we love her…asked her why her tummy hurt, and if she was just hungry for breakfast. But before Addie could reply, a voice came from across the table…Sophie wasn’t waiting to hear anything:
“Dear God, please help Addie’s tummy to feel better. Aaaaa-Mennn!! (then turning to Addie) Now your tummy don’t hurt anymore!!”
Which would be the cutest event that week, until Childrens’ Church. I went with Addie, because as a 4 year old, she still wasn’t quite comfortable being left alone in a new class of older kids. So we sat/listened together. They talked about Jesus “paying the price” for our sin, and enacted a scene to illustrate. Each child stood before the “Judge” (a nice older lady, who couldn’t help but smile as she pretended) and read a card handed to them. The card told them what they were guilty of (bad words, stealing, etc.), and the judge told them how much they owed. No one could pay, so all had to head to the “Jail” (row of chairs), from which Jesus rescued them all later on.
Addie and I were last. I didn’t know how she’d respond, but figured it was good to find out anyway. We walked up to the judge and were handed our card. “Lying to your parents” was our offense. I looked at Addie with a wink to let her know we were just pretending and said, “Uh oh Addie, we lied to our parents.”
It didn’t take long for the fun smile to leave her face and her eyes to get larger. But instead of the tears I thought may come from such an accusation, she didn’t miss a beat before defending herself: “No I didn’t, dad, it was Sophie!!”
Needless to say, me and the judge were cracking up. 🙂
I love my girls. 🙂
words from wick 