A Conversation with Bella

  I know this is a very random post considering how long it's been since I posted anything, but this just brought my heart a strange Joy, and wanted to share.

Bella: Mommy, where am I going to live when I'm a mommy?

Me: I don't know, Bella.  You will live wherever God wants you to live.

Bella: Maybe I'll live in Granbury.

Me: Or somewhere else in Texas, or Louisiana, or New York...

Bella: Or South America!

Me: Ha!  Yes, Bella.  Maybe South America.

Bella: I think when I get big I'm going to give food to children that don't have any.  What's that place called again, Mommy?

Me: South America?

Bella: No, no... The place we talked about yesterday.  The place where kids don't have food to eat...

Me: Are you talking about starving kids in Africa?

Bella: Yes!

Me: Bella, there are starving kids all over the world, even in America.  Not just Africa.

Bella:  yeah...I know, but I think I'll go to Africa.  Since the kids don't have any food, I'll just take a LOT of food with me to Africa so I can give it to them.

Me: you're going to take all the food with you?

Bella: Yes!  They need food!

The day before, Bella had complained that she was "STARVING".  I have issues with that term, because some people are truly starving, and we use the word so lightly to describe a slight discomfort when we haven't eaten in a couple of hours.  I'm sure I'm guilty of it too, but I suppose I'm noticing it more lately.

Anyway, I told Bella that she may feel hungry, but she wasn't "starving" unless she had gone a whole day or more (that is difficult enough for her to fathom at the moment) without eating, because she didn't have any food, or any money to get food.  Like kids in Africa that don't have food.  I then mentioned that there are children everywhere in the world starving.  America too.  This wasn't our first "talk" about those who don't have food, but apparently Africa stuck with her.  Apparently Bella is going to Africa.  And she's taking a lot of food.

But it makes my heart glad to see and hear her concern for those that she doesn't even know.

A child understands injustice and wants to do something about it.  Hungry children were obviously on her heart.

What is on mine?

Word for Word

Bella has had fever the past couple of days, but today she was feeling a little better...

Bella: "Mommy, can I watch a movie?"

Me: "no...you're feeling a lot better today, so I think you should play outside.  It's very pretty today."

Bella: "But Mommy, if I go outside, then I'll have to run, and my tummy hurts when I run."

Me: "You don't have to run.  You can walk, or-"

Bella: (upset, starting to tear up) "-But the grass makes me run!"

Word for Word - God is Big

As we are talking about God over lunch, I was telling the kids that when there are thunderstorms, it reminds me just how big God is.  When I hear the BOOM of the thunder, and I see the flashes of lightning, it makes me stand  in awe of how BIG my God is...

Bella: You know, Mommy, God is WAY bigger than you.
Me: He sure is!
Bella: Yeah, He's so big He can't even fit in our house! If he came into our house, He would have to bend over, like this (showing me by demonstration) and He couldn't stand up strait!

 ...we proceeded to talk about how God CAN fit into our house...how He lives in our hearts because of the Holy Spirit...

I just love a 5-year-old's perception of big.
Big = bigger than mommy
Big = bigger than my house

Perhaps that will translate eventually into...
Bigger than my circumstances...
Bigger than myself...
Bigger than my enemies...
Bigger than my sin...

Little words throughout the day can plant so much that God can grow into something bigger.
Yes.  God is BIG.

Word for Word

Balian and I were lying on the couch together.

Me: "Balian, are you my cuddle-bug?"

Balian: "I'm not a cuddle-bug.  I'm just Balian Jones."

:)

Word for Word

(As we are driving by our church)
"Mommy, why are there 2 cars at church?"
"Well, people work at church.  Pastor Allan, Pastor Shake, Mrs. Laura, and Mrs. Laurie..."
"They work there?"
"Yes, Bella.  Just like Daddy goes to work...they go to work at the church."
"But they aren't all boys."
"No, they aren't.  Mrs. Laura and Mrs. Laurie are girls."
(eyes get really wide)
"Girls go to work too?"

Word for Word

"Ok, Bella, circle everything that starts with /d/."
"But Mama, the doughnut is already a circle."

"Mommy, why is the sun not showing?  Is it still sleeping?"
"Well, Bella, the sun is awake, but the clouds are covering up the sun so we can't see the sunshine."
"Why are the clouds being so mean to the sun?  That's not nice!"