Randomness

This blog was started out of necessity - to communicate status updates and prayer requests during Janie Grace's heart surgery and recovery in order to cut down on telephone calls and emails we wouldn't have the time or energy to respond to. We've kept it afloat for two main reasons:

1) It allows us keep faraway family and friends current on the happenings of our family.

2) Whenever our kids have internet access the rest of their lives, they'll have the chance to look back on life events (significant and not so significant) and laugh, reminisce and be reminded of Faith building moments.

Some of the things we post on here are really meant for the kids, their kids years from now and us. We're glad for you to read our musings, if you choose, but really we're trying to document interesting moments in their lives (well, interesting to us anyway.) The following falls in this category.

I wondered if I might post about these conversations as they happened but told myself I wouldn't. As I recounted them to Jennifer later in the evening, she inquired, "those are going on the blog, right?" Here we go...

Jacob and Jensen don't articulate the meaningful details of their day with much color when we sit around the dinner table and I ask about their day in a generic/broad manner. I've had to resort to being satisfied hearing about one unique nugget of information they learned or an out-of-the-ordinary experience of the day. Now, they've learned that I will insist upon it each evening, so it almost seems as if they're ready these days.

Last night, the three of us (Jacob, Jensen, and me) were at McAlister's (hard to beat kids-eat-free night there...$6.70 for three of us). While we waited 30 minutes for our food (they lost our order, it was a good chance to talk about patience!, we did get a free appetizer and dessert for all us!), I asked about the kids' day. Immediately, Jacob began to eloquently (on the 6-year-old eloquent scale) articulate about the life and death of Dr. King. With MLK Day on Monday, he's been taught quite a bit this week about this revolutionary leader and ultra-important member of our country's history. Jacob went on about how "dark-skinned people" weren't "treated kindly". He had learned that Dr. King worked to make sure "dark-skinned people" could do the same things and go to the same places as "light-skinned people". I was proud for how well Jacob had listened in class. I was proud that I could sense his disbelief that there was even a need for Dr. King and others to do what they did in order to achieve equal freedoms. However, as I listened, my heart sunk. Let me explain. Without shielding our kids from reality (at least in our minds), we've worked hard to insist the kids understand that God made each person and loves each soul equally. He commands that we do the same. To this point, I don't think our kids have had a sense for racial injustice, economic injustice (they do know that many of us have advantages in the U.S. not available to others both here and around the globe), gender injustice, mistreatment of the handicapped, etc. Yes, they understand that terrible things happen and that our world isn't rosy. We try not to mask reality. However, in this moment, I felt like some innocence was lost. While we insist that our kids learn to evaluate people based on "the content of their character", they've now learned that others have not lived and do not live to that standard. I reminded them that nothing they say or do will get them in more trouble with us than if they treat somebody poorly (particularly if that miss-treatment stems from something that person has no control over). I was pleased that, even as I reminded them of that, they there miffed that could ever happen. I desperately wish I could erase some of the misconceptions that exist in my mind that I have to diligently work through to overcome time and time again. We hope Jacob, Jensen and Janie Grace won't need such a big eraser.

Our food finally arrived and, while chowing down, my dad called. We talked about several things quickly. During the conversation, the kids could tell listening to one-half of the conversation that a bike of my dad's had been stolen several months ago. After hanging up, Jensen asked "Why did somebody steal his bike?". Jacob added, "Yeah, don't they know that is against the rules?". I thought to myself, "here we go again!". I went on to explain what had happened but both kids maintained a puzzled look. Jensen still not satisfied, "But the bike isn't their bike.". Jacob, "Yeah, they didn't pay for it!". Clearly, the thought of taking something that didn't belong to them had never crossed their minds. As easy as it is for adult minds to grasp that people steal, it was equally as challenging for Jacob and Jensen to accept that somebody would take an item that is not their own. Again, I went on to explain that some people make decisions that our family deems as unacceptable.

Can we just let the kids stay in their bubble for the next 80 years?????!!!!!!