Passing the Faith Along...

I had held out as long as possible before throwing away my withering Valentine's Day roses from Derek. They stayed beautiful for quite some time this year and brought me a smile every time I looked at them. When I finally caved, and headed for the trash can with them, Sophie was so disappointed. "MOMMY! Do you really have to throw them away? They're still alive aren't they?"
Even Cameron joined in the protest, thinking I should give them another chance at rallying. :)

I thought it was rather cute that they were being such advocates for the poor flowers, but a thought struck me as I ignored their pleas and shoved the stems deep down into the wastebasket.

"Sophie, do you know when these roses started dying?" I asked her.

"Today???" she threw out uncertainly.

I sat the kids down at the table and read to them from John 15. I said, "Children, these flowers began to die the very instant they were cut from their bush. Even though we've enjoyed them for some time now, they have been in the process of dying the whole time."

We went on to have a discussion about the life-source of the flower, and then applied how the Scripture refers to us as being on a vine as well. There were many good points for discussion after that about truly living in Jesus, bearing fruit for Jesus, how we can be cut off and everything that means about spiritual death.

Still, I see Sophie with her little bedside cup of flowers that she was just given on Sunday, doing everything she can to tend to them and keep them alive as long as possible. We've talked again about the vine and the branches.

My poor children may grow weary of my habit for turning the simplest daily tasks into object lessons...and I assure you, I'm not the most creatively gifted for it...but it is the way that most helps me on my journey and I'm trying to pass it along to them. It's not about winning any blue ribbon for "most creative mom" or "best storyteller", or I'd be in big trouble. What it is about, to my way of thinking, is using the model that Jesus used so often to communicate important truths. Look around you: hardly a day goes by that there's not a life-truth to be learned that's quietly nestled into the common and ordinary things around us.

I'm praying for the Father to help me open my eyes, or just to see with spiritual eyes open, all the things that He would have me know and maybe even share along the Way.