One of my favorite things about my children getting older is that I no longer have to interpret grunts, cries and jumbled “nonsensical” whining. They can simply use their words to tell me and others what they are thinking and feeling. Hearing what goes on in those little heads is quite possibly my favorite thing about being their mother.
A few weeks ago, Sadie’s Sunday school teacher, Ms. Anne, approached me at church. She told about a lesson she had taught the 3-year-old class recently. She demonstrated the weight of our sins by filling large cannisters with sand. She let the kids take turns carrying them around the classroom. She talked to them about the concept of sin and began giving them examples of things they could understand like not obeying your parents, hitting your siblings and not sharing with others. Sadie listened intently. Her blue eyes were solemn in concentration.
Anne paused for a second, and Sadie interjected, “Well, I don’t sin, but my SISTERS? They do all of that!”
This week, while I was out of town working, Sadie began telling my mother another lesson she had learned from Ms. Anne about Mary and Martha.
“Oh, Martha, Martha, Martha,” Sadie shook her head as she finished a recap of the story.
My mother agreed, “Yes, while Mary was busy tending to Jesus, what was Martha doing? Just busy work, right? Doing the dishes, in the kitchen cooking…”
“Well somebody has to do it!” Sadie interjected.
Blessed are the Sunday school teachers, for they have to listen to this stuff on a regular basis, without laughing out loud.
• Robin O’Bryant is a Greenwood author and blogger. Read her blog at www.robinschicks.com.
