With Family Home Evenings, daily prayer, Church, and Christ's teachings just a part of life, we thought we were helping to lay a foundation of faith for our kids from day one. (Perchance some of it might even rub off on the adults, wouldn't you think?) I had just assumed we were of the same cloth, so to speak, and that it was US, you know, the GROWN UPS, leading by precept and example.
Then that one day, when I saw clearly what was what and who was who. You and Afton and I were out in our little yellow Subaru, and why we were in a subdivision with hills that sloped at 90 degrees I have no idea. Did I say 90 degrees? Maybe much more, couldn't even see the top of the hill from the bottom of it. And snow and cold to boot. But there we were, and the little engine that could, just couldn't anymore when we reached ground zero (bottom of the hill which seemed like below sea level, and here we were in the Mile High City!). Oh, sure I tried gunning it over and over, over and over, over and over, and the engine never even turned, never made a sound. Waited and waited. Repeated and repeated. Frustrated and more frustrated, angrier and angrier--- me, not the car. Did everything in my power to move that mountain. Well, I was willing to settle for moving up that mountain, but either way. No apparent way to get help. I was beaten.
Then Afton piped up in the backseat, "We need to say a prayer." Did I mention I was angry? Now I was angry-annoyed. Here I was cornered, probably by my own words of wisdom from the comfort of my living room, and now my little kids were about to see Jesus' limitations before they ever got to kindergarten! Way to go, Mom. "Yeah, go ahead, you say it," I sputtered (which was more than I could get the car to do at this point). We bowed our heads and you guys prayed . A child's prayer. I lip synced "Amen" with heavy heart. The 5 seconds were over too soon, and I was trying to find a reasonable explanation to share about why Jesus was just too busy with some really important things and so he couldn't be bothered with our problems at the time, but He was still real, just preoccupied. Me, trying to save face for the Israelite. Bet he appreciated that. "Go," you both said, before I could open my mouth to defend the Divine. Reluctantly I turned the key in the ignition for the 84th time. The engine revved with no hesitation and we sped to the top of the hill like a race car. You guys with big grins, me with tears.
They tell us adults to watch for teaching moments so we can teach the children. HA!
Welcome, welcome, King of Kings!
1 comment:
Wow!!!
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