Deep weekend

Our family has enjoyed this 4 day weekend. Thanksgiving was spent with some wonderful neighbors who invited us into their home. Our Christmas tree is up, decorated, lighted and the oh to many etc... that go with the yearly adventure of the accoutrement's of Christmas.

As most of my regular readers and friends know, I detest the Christmas decoration part of the holiday. It always seems so beside the point and such a physical and mental pain to do. The humorous side is that its always fodder for a good story and usually a mild tiff between Angie and I. This years tiff was milder than usual, I had to add lights to the pre lite tree because some of the lights were out. After waisting an hour looking for the cause (since Satan invented these little lights on a string I blame him for their random failures as well) I finally just added another string and that was finally, finally, good enough. The tree has been trimmed, and the garland has been hung, the wreath is on the door, and the stockings have been hung, I am tired of it already but at least it is done.

Saturday morning was the time of most note concerning our dear little Gracie. I got up early and took Gracie to breakfast and then to visit Grandma at the nursing home. Gracie watched cartoons and Grandma slept so this was not too great an adventure. On the way home however, Gracie whose mind and mouth have been in hyper drive all weekend hit me upside the head with another Gracie-ism that I did not see coming. Sometimes I have no choice but to be humbled by the understandings of a child.

Gracie : " Daddy, who gave me my names?"

Daddy: (not sure where this came from or where it is going, but I already know from the tone of her sweet little voice that she dug deep for this one) " Well, Gracie, God named you" ( a true statement if you know the story though a little too deep for a 5 year old)

Gracie:" How did He name me, did He tell you what to call me?"

Daddy: " Yes sweety, He told us what to call you, He made it very clear to us that you were a show of His Grace and that is what we should call you" ( still too deep for her I am thinking, but I can only tell her the truth and someday she will understand)

Gracie:" You could hear Him?"

Daddy:" Loud and clear Gracie, loud and clear"

Gracie:" Did you know God made us from playdoh?"

Daddy:" Playdoh?" ( she then breaks out into those sweet little uncontrolled giggles that mean she is teasing me and being silly)

Gracie:" No daddy, not playdoh, He made us from clay?"

Daddy:" Yes, yes he did make us from clay sweety" (now I am wondering if somebody had tried to teach her about the "Potter" and the "Clay" or if she pulled this from a song or where this came from)

Gracie:" And do you know what color the clay was daddy?"

Daddy:" No honey, what color was the clay?" (loaded and leading question, I am just along for the ride at this point because I want to know where this is going)

Gracie:" Different colors of clay, He made you and mommy from pink clay and He made me from brown clay. Mommy says she wishes her skin was dark like mine and my eyes are the MOST beautiful" (pronounced Be-ute-eeeeeeee- full)

Daddy:" That's right Gracie your skin and eyes are very beautiful"

Gracie:" Well daddy, you can I tell you something, (note she does this when she is unsure of what she is saying, but she never waits for an answer she just talks anyway) I think mommy's big brown eyes and pink skin are just beautiful too. I think your pink skin is handsome and I like your eyes too. We should just be happy the way God made us, he made us all beautiful, you don't need to look like me"

Daddy:" That's very sweet Gracie, thank you."

Gracie:" Your welcome, I love you daddy, can I have a treat when we get home?"

Daddy:" yes sweety, you can have a treat after your nap"

Gracie:" Daddy, can you please go faster, I have to go potty, I need to poop"

Daddy:" I'll hurry, just hang on a few more minutes there love, we will be home soon"


I have no idea where she gets these things sometimes, but it is humbling just to listen to her when she takes off on them. Her mind is just scary sometimes. I worked with her for an hour trying to teach her to write, read, and recognize the word "the" a few weeks ago and she just could not or would not grasp it, but yet she will bring up events and conversations from a year or two ago with perfect clarity and recognition. Sometimes these conversations start because of something that she is thinking about that happened a long time ago and you cannot put them in present context. It can be frustrating for her and for us, but if you just listen, she usually has something she wants to talk about.

End of the story is this, I am often reminded how unworthy of Grace or of grace that I am.

Peace.