I love kids and many times they can be so entertaining. As you will see here their minds work in interesting ways. In this Christmas season, their first thoughts are about angels. That seems apropo.
One young child, age five, said, “I only know the names of two angels, Hark and Harold.”
Here are some from nine-year-olds: “Everybody’s got it all wrong. Angels don’t wear halos anymore. I forget why, but scientists are working on it.” “It’s not easy to become an angel! First, you die. Then you go to Heaven, and then there’s still the flight training to go through and then you got to agree to wear those angel clothes.”
“Angels talk all the way while they’re flying you up to heaven. The main subject is where you went wrong before you got dead” “Angels work for God and watch over kids when God has to go do something else.”
From six-year olds: “My guardian angel helps me with math, but he’s not much good for science.” “Angels don’t eat, but they drink milk from Holy Cows!” “When an angel gets mad, he takes a deep breath and counts to 10. And when he lets out his breath again, somewhere there’s a tornado.”
“Angels have a lot to do and they keep very busy. If you lose a tooth, an angel comes in through your window and leaves money under your pillow. Then when it gets cold, angels go south for the winter.” (Good idea!)
“Angels live in cloud houses made by God and his Son, who’s a very good carpenter.” “All angels are girls because they gotta wear dresses and boys didn’t go for it.”
“Some of the angels are in charge of helping heal sick animals and pets. And if they don’t make the animals get better, they help the child get over it.”
“My angel is my grandma who died last year. She got a big head start on helping me while she was still down here on earth.” (This one made me cry! It’s what we hope for all our grandchildren.)
Now an important recounting of God’s first experience with children. “After creating heaven and earth, God created Adam and Eve, who were soon to be trouble. The first thing God said was, ‘Don’t’
‘Don’t what?’ Adam replied.
‘Don’t eat the forbidden fruit,’ God said.
‘Forbidden fruit? We have forbidden fruit? Hey Eve, we have forbidden fruit!’
‘No way!’ ‘Yes way!
‘Do Not eat the fruit!’ said God.
‘Why?’
‘Because I am your Father and I said so!’ God replied, wondering why He hadn’t stopped creation after making the elephants.
A few minutes later, God saw His children having an apple break and He was ticked!
‘Didn’t I tell you not to eat the fruit?’ God asked.
‘Uh huh,’ Adam replied. ‘Then why did you?’ said the Father.
‘I don’t know,’ said Eve. ‘She started it!’ Adam said.
Having had it with the two of them, God’s punishment was that Adam and Eve should have children of their own. Thus the pattern was set and it has never changed.”
If you have persistently and lovingly tried to give children wisdom and they haven’t taken it, don’t be hard on yourself. If God had trouble raising children, what makes you think it would be a piece of cake for you?
(Melanie Behrens – melb@marysvillejt.com)
Friday, January 21
