17 comments

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  Wendy

  1 year ago

  I love the insight into the goings on of your piece of the family. I shall keep all of these things in mind in case one day I too have a 3 year old.
  
  And I agree with you - love them, teach them, pray with and over them - and leave them in God's hands.
  
  Love you
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  AZDean

  1 year ago

  Perhaps instead of using a school principal to explain reverence, you could say prayer is like having an audience with the king. Are we good and loyal subjects of the king, or are we irreverent rascals who bring him shame? Can we behave our best while we are before him? How can we show him honor?
  
  Anyway, I smiled on reading your post this morning. :)
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  Susan

  1 year ago

  I love the picture and the story that brings back so many memories - spewed beets, prayers of "God bless the salt, pepper, ketchup........." everything on the table as the food grew cold and the parents impatient. But the youngest is now 23 and I miss those exhausting but more simple days.
  
  Having you ever read "Shepherding a Child's Heart" by Tripp? It's a great resource for 3 year old scoundrels! Training is hard work, no matter what - whether we are training them or God is training us!
  
  They are, by the way, absolutely adorable in their matching outfits!
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  real live preacher

  1 year ago

  man, you're a great father. You have all the signs of it.
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  Eve

  1 year ago

  Just what I needed to hear today. I'm up to my eyeballs in bad attitudes towards school work (as a homeschool mom), lethargy, and a mangled bunny ear (the rabbits were fighting too).
  
  Our lessons today consist of working as unto God, focusing at the task at hand, trusting God for even bunnies, and patience (that's my lesson).
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  Jennifer Hudson Taylor

  1 year ago

  What a precious photo!
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  Carl Holmes

  1 year ago

  Great snapshot of family life my friend. My 6 year old Son sounds much like your boy. He is a little older and knows a little better (most the time anyway) but still has that streak!!
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  Craver-VII

  1 year ago

  Amy is wise, but needs to work on her grip. ;-)
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  L.L. Barkat

  1 year ago

  An absolute delight. Really. (If a little messy.)
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  L.L. Barkat

  1 year ago

  Oh, and for the poet in you, a few little verses from my mashed potato babies.
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  Tanya Dennis

  1 year ago

  Love the photo and the story. :) Kids are so funny. I love how they rescue us by changing the subject entirely. Hopefully by the next time "reverence" becomes the topic, you'll have found a kid-friendly way to explain it. Or maybe next time you'll just get another little tidbit in. In the meantime, we can pray our kids eventually get all the little tidbits of faith fit together in the right way.
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  Heather Goodman

  1 year ago

  Oh, my. I laughed heartily. Spit some of my own dinner out.
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  Ted Gossard

  1 year ago

  I agree with Real Live Preacher about you as a good father.
  
  This has to be good writing, because it reminds me of when I did the same things your son did here (at least a couple of them). I can still taste the mashed potatos. And we used to lick them off the beaters, as well.
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  Mark D. Roberts

  1 year ago

  I love this post. It's right on. Just wait until your kids are teenagers, then write again!
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  Marcus

  1 year ago

  You guys are sweet. Thanks for so many comments without a single response from me!
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  Susan

  1 year ago

  we figured you were quite busy with the kids!
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  Charity Singleton

  1 year ago

  I could see this whole thing playing out right before my eyes. What a wonderful evening for your family. Reminds me of the time my nephew, who was probably about four, was thanking God in prayer for the ketchup he would be putting on his fries when suddenly he realized that no one had gotten the ketchup out of the refrigerator. All prayer came to a screeching halt until we had the ketchup on the table.
  
  I think God knows enough three- and four-year-olds to extend a lot of table grace during those times. And oh, you're right about teaching them. Where else will they learn?
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