You would think that with the amount of questions Alec asks about God that we would be a religious family. In the scheme of religion I would say we are not. Middle of the road I guess. We are just religious enough to confuse him.
Yesterday morning on the way to school he wanted to know (again) how high in the sky God lives and the conversation went like this:
A: I think he lives in outer space.
Me: Really?
A: Yeah...really high and out there. What's he doing out there?
Me: I don't know -what do you think?
A: Waiting for people to come visit him. I bet he is bored.
Me: blank stare...and then HUH?
A: I think he waits for people to come visit him and then they do things.
Me: What kind of things?
A: Play with toys. Grown up toys. And then he is not bored anymore. Or the spirits come visit him like ghosts. Why are there wars? Why do people get to shoot guns in wars? Why is it o.k.? (Spirits and ghost and war talk all compliments of Alec conning my MIL into letting him watch Ghostbusters on TV when she babysitting).
A whole discussion then started about shooting people in wars and the object of the war is not shoot people but to protect whatever you are fighting over. This is a hard concept for him to understand. He can’t comprehend that the “enemy” is a real person with a family who loves them.
The conversation went back around to God again.
After that he wanted to know if Jesus was God's son then when was God born and who were his parents?? And how long ago did God live? Was it in the 1800's? (Seriously he said 1800's).
I said...hey...look at those flowers blooming over there. :)
And on to other things….
Yesterday he asked the lady at Snip-It's (hair cut place) how the hydraulics worked on the chair as she pumped it up. She said in the 5 years she has been working there - he is the first child to ever ask her that. Go figure.
And back to God again.
A: If Easter is celebrating Jesus (who told him that?) then what does the Easter bunny have to do with it? Was he Jesus’ pet?
Me: blank stare.
A: Where does the Easter bunny live? Is he just a man a in a suit? Does he talk?
Me: Hey…look at those flowers blooming over there!
Sometimes these questions make me laugh..sometimes they worry me. I think Alec spends an inordinate amount of time trying to place things in their right place/spot/box. Religious Easter and the Easter bunny can not simultaneously exist or Santa/birth of Jesus or heaven/planets and outer space.
I just want to embrace him and say ‘there are shades of gray’ over and over until he comprehends that the world is not black and white. But somehow I think that is a life lessons he will just have to figure out on his own. He wouldn’t believe me anyway.
And on a final note- the other day I told him he could watch some tv while I was on the treadmill and afterwards he could help me make dinner. His response: “Great- I need you to teach me cook things. And after that mom, I will teach you how to clean”
Oh really?
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