Train 'Em Up

I have to remind myself that today, April 1, 2012, on the way to church our precious Little asked us "why did Jesus die on the cross, and why did it roll and roll?" (I think she meant, the stone in front of the tomb).
What an amazing opportunity we had.  I sure do hope we answered right.  I think we said something like "to pay for our naughtiness, our sin, Libby. We all do naughty things, so he took the consequence for us."  Then she said "Jesus was very naughty?" and we said "No, Libby he was never naughty, he was always good."  Then she said something like "Mommy can we go back to the 'dilly circus, I really like the ponies."

I don't know how much of the conversation she understood, or how much she took in, but I know that she is listening.  She hears what we are telling her and explaining to her because she asked the question.
I read recently on a blog post from a friend something along the lines of 'we are not trying to raise perfect children,we are trying to raise adults that love the Lord'...I'm sure that I miss quoted that, but you get the main idea.  I so often forget this.  I don't want my kids to be the bully, or the selfish one, or be impolite, or mean, or nasty.  I often think or assume that they just know how to be good and therefor should know how to not be bad.  How very foolish of me.  Sinning comes natural to us all.

If we knew how to be good on our own, we would have never needed the Savior.  It is only through his perfect goodness that we are good.  It is only through his perfect goodness that I am able to teach them how to make right choices.

I have to remind myself that at 3 and 1 they probably aren't going to get it all and that is okay.  At 3 and 1 they are going to be selfish, mean on the occasion, defiant, and all those other things I wish they wouldn't be.  I have to remind myself that they need a savior, and I am not that savior, but Jesus is.  As their parents we have an amazing opportunity to point them to the One who can make them right.  The One who truly is their Savior.

She asked again tonight (repetition is always the way with her) "Mommy, why did Jesus die on the cross," "because He loves you so much Libby, he didn't want you to have the consequence," I said.  Then she said "And he loves Maggie, and you, and Daddy."  "Yes Libby, He loves us all so much, he took the consequence for us all."

They are listening, even when we think we are talking to ourselves:)
Grace and peace