Then this would be our real life

Our resident theologian is also known for scribbling, screeching, and she's just beginning to read a few words. But boy, oh boy, that girl does put serious thought into every topic of discussion, each bit of 1st grade history she overhears, and every single story read to her.

I wish I had a recording of all her insights. Rarely, I run to write down what she's just told me. Tonight our dinner conversation went like this--in part--there's no way I could remember all of her verbal processing.

Hava:  It’s better to cry than die. Why?

Me:  Maybe because when you die it’s the end of your life. And if you cry, it’s not the end of your life.

Hava:   Dying isn’t the end of your life. After you die you have a new life in heaven.

Me:   That’s true. Heaven is like your real life.

Hava:   If Adam and Eve hadn’t sinned, then this would be our real life. (pause) What’s sin?

Me:  Doing or thinking or saying something different from what God wants.

Hava:  I asked God in my quiet time today to help me not do bad things anymore.

Me:   That’s a good prayer to pray.

I get this kind of talk all stinkin' day long, every day of the week. Her latest interest is making up poems and songs. Yesterday's song went "I love to adore, I love to adore, I love to adore Christ the Lord" and today's poem was "Put my little penny pack on my teeny tiny back" (interpretation is left to the audience, apparently).

Hava the five-year-old is quite a delight to get to know. I'm enjoying relating to her now that she is a big girl and really enjoying seeing the world unfold before her watchful eyes.

Growing

Hello, it's been a while and it's so nice to see you again. (-:

Yesterday, the kids went swimming for probably the last time this year. The water is cold. But they were happy to be splashing around!

While they swam, I got down on my hands and knees to see if I could find any blades of freshly planted winter grass. I did find a couple short blades...certainly not a lush lawn. I sighed and hoped we would have at least some soft grass for the kids to play in during our beautiful fall and winter months.

Today I awoke to find a yard full of green. While I slept, the lawn appeared. It's growing! Immediately I remembered a speaker from the homeschool convention who said "No one plants a lemon tree and looks for lemons two months later. Fruit trees take years to produce." I'm not growing lemons--and I'm only slightly interested in growing grass--but I am growing people. Sometimes I see buds on their trees. Other times, blossoms. And I'm confident fruit will ripen for harvest later. How helpful to remember that all my repetitive, sometimes tedious, never-ending work in my orchard will not produce fruit for today. No, the harvest will be enjoyed for many years to come if I care for my little people well today. And tomorrow.

When I get a whiff of fresh blossom scent, I'm hopeful. One day I'll wake up and see that while I was busy working and waiting, my children were developing under the surface. The Master Gardener is at work, if only I will work under His expert care myself and entrust my garden to His touch.