Each night before bed we sing Elli a song. Typically she will request a diddy to the tune of Frere Jacques, seeing as though it’s her favorite song on Pop Goes the Wiggles! “Mommy loves Elli” is always very popular. Other times, she picks an inanimate object that is in her stream of consciousness. “The door loves Elli” has been a request, as has “Daddy’s lawn mower loves Elli”.
The other night, “God loves Elli” ended up in the playlist. It’s good to know she has an understanding of God’s love at a young age. All of that Bonheoffer I’ve been reading to her must be paying off.
The song did raise some obvious questions however. When she should have been slowing down and getting ready to sleep, Elli was instead pondering theological constructs.
“Where’s God, Mommy?”
“God’s in Heaven.”
Factually correct. But Stacy felt like her answer might make God seem too distant. God isn’t ONLY in heaven. Behold, the beauty of omnipresence.
“But he’s also in your heart.”
Also factually correct. Except that if you are a three year old, you are stuck in a very concrete mode of thinking. So when Mommy says God is in your heart, scenes from Alien start going through your mind. At least they seemed to be going through Elli’s. She started looking down the neck-hold in her pajamas and tapping her chest.
“Where’s he?!? Where’s he?!?”
Let that be your parenting lesson for the day. Explanations on the presence of God are not conducive to a relaxing bedtime.
Renew and Restore
