Lenses of a 3 year old...

I love trying to see life through the eyes of my three year old daughter. Over the last two months we've had to deal with the reality of death up close and personal (as we recently lost an old friend of the family, my nephew, and my Grandfather). My daughter has prayed, asked questions and has seen the signs of our grief. This has recently prompted questions that I wouldn't expect from a three year old. About a week ago, we were all just sitting in front of the fire talking and my daughter began to grill us with these difficult questions like, "will I see Grandpa Schrock again?" "Will he come back to life again, like Jesus?" "What happens when he dies?" "Will you and mommy die someday?" "Will I die someday?" "Will we get to live with Jesus someday?" "Where does Jesus live?" To be honest I was so flabergasted by these questions I felt that I fumbled through answers to which she patiently listened and asked more questions.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to teach her class at Epic, and I was asking the review questions for the lesson from the week prior. I have to admit I was quite impressed with the answers and response from the children (kudos to the teacher from the week before me). It was evident that she and the other children have been taking in the Bible Stories. This morning she surprised me again as she apparently took what she has been learning and applied it to the questions she has been asking about life. This morning over breakfast she looked at me very matter of fact and assuredly said to me, "Daddy, it's okay if we die, because then we get to be with Jesus." I was amazed by the conviction and yet the care free spirit she seemed to have.

Of course as she was getting ready to go to her preschool she decided to take her Snow White puzzle with her to which she became concerned about some of the other students playing with it. As the only child, we're still trying to work on the sharing part of life. And yet, the other night, when I was telling her about this needy family we were helping, she simply said, "Daddy, they can sleep in my bedroom and they can have my bed."

Last week the tulips that we planted together last fall began to break through the ground. With great excitement and wonder she ran outside to get a closer look at them. As she came into the house today she asked, "Daddy why are the flowers that you bought mommy dying?" (bouquet from the store) "Do flowers always die?" "Will they ever come back to life?"

As we enter this Easter Season, may we have the wonder and faith like that of a child and may we rest secure in knowing that in Jesus, we have new and everlasting life!