But she's three!!!

I've had a fairly traumatizing weekend. It started with the now famous shoe request. This request seemed to come out of left field. But, I figured she saw a commercial. Then, late Saturday night, Natalie and I had our first real girl talk. We had just finished stories and were about to pray when she told me that a girl in her class (I'll call her mean girl because that's the nicest thing I can come up with) told her she could not be her "best friend." Natalie goes on to say that now that she has the same shoes, she can be her best friend.

I'm screaming in my head. "She's three!!!"

So we talk. We talk about how we can be friends with anyone. We talk about how if someone will only be your friend because of your shoes, clothes, or hair, then they will probably not be a good friend to you anyway. Natalie has a good friend in her class so I say, "well, who is your best friend?" (I'm thinking we'll talk about why and how he is nice and fun, etc). She says the name I think she will and then says, "he says I can't be friends with anyone except him."

"SHE'S THREE!!!"

So now, we talk about how no one can decide who we are friends with but us. Then after lots of love and reassurance, I put her to bed, because I'm exhausted.

Fast forward through church where she loved showing off her sketchers. Now to Monday morning when she can't wait to get to school. She was sooooo excited.

Now, last night. I get back a sadder version of my little girl. It turns out, mean girl, told her that her shoes were ugly. ( I would like to nail mean girl to the wall but that's for another story.) Natalie says her shoes are almost like mean girls, but Natalie's has a heart where mean girls does not. Natalie says she does not like her sketchers anymore.

"SHE IS THREE!!!"

I took a deep breath. Then she and I went to ride her bike. I reminded her that she really liked her sketchers yesterday and this morning. She agreed. Then she says Mean girl is smart. I tell her that she is smart too and only Natalie gets to decide what she likes and doesn't like. This appears to be a revelation to her. She likes her sketchers again.

So this morning we have a new quote at our house. It starts with a high five.

Me saying: "High five"
Natalie: "High five"
Me: " I decide"
Natalie "I decide"
Me: "what I like"
Natalie: "what I like"
Me: "not you!"
Natalie: "not you!"
Me: "just me"
Natalie: "just me"
Me: " I decide"
Natalie: "I decide."

She walked out the door saying this. I stepped back, took a deep breath and talked myself out of finding mean girl. My social work brain says she has a whole lot of problems. My mommy brain doesn't care about anything but Natalie. I look in the mirror to make sure I look alright for work. I laugh when I realize, I could stand to repeat my own new slogan. Maybe it would do us all some good....

"High five! I decide, what I like, not you, just me, I decide!!!"

For today, I do not like mean girls. Probably not for tomorrow either.

Any advice? Because she is almost four. :-)

The trinity and beyond...

Okay, anyone reading this will know that I've always had an issue with the word trinity. I can give you at least a dozen reasons why, but two are the most essential.

1.) It is a feeble, human, attempt to define a God who exceeds all definition.

2.) My God is bigger then a triangle.

Without delving into a huge Biblical discussion here, let me say I believe in the general concept behind said word. God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit exists as one in perfect relationship far beyond my comprehension.

I've had a MILLION conversations with many people who attempt to convince me of this word. They usually only further convince me not to say it by now defining God as a triangle, water, pie, or my personal favorite, an egg. It's not that I don't understand what people are trying to say about the trinity...it's that others seem to be comfortable defining God in a place where I am not.

I am simply more comfortable saying, It's an amazing relationship that I will never understand, but pray to be a part of. That's all.

Fast forward to tonight. Natalie is famous for making up songs. She is singing away in the back seat, her new, "church song." The words? "I love church, it's where we go to worship God....something something something...God and Jesus are a circle and I love them."

"A circle?" I think to myself. I can hear the preacher standing in front of a bride and groom explaining the symbol of a wedding band...no beginning, no end, just as the love represented.

God is love. I John 4:7-8.

Hmmm....I like this image much better. A circle. Not three points all pointing in opposite directions, yet connected. A circle. No beginning. No end.

Just absolute perfect relationship.

Pies get cut, water changes based on temperature, eggs break (or get fried on drugs lol), but a regular old circle??? I'm still not comfortable defining God as a shape...but I have to admit, she made me stop and ponder more so then anyone else.

Maybe, just maybe, my three old is on to something here.

Luke 10:21-22

Easter pics

We had a great Easter. A very busy weekend, but I successfully maintained my boycott of Easter sunrise services. This year, for a brief second, I debated attending. That was gone when Chris sneaked out the door before 6 am. Here's to all you early people....I hope it was fun. If you ever decide to make it a midnight early easter morning service (still serving breakfast), I'll be there. Given the adjustment for time zones, I think that's a more appropriate time anyway. :-)