Wednesday, November 05, 2008

"...to wash our Sin away..."


Today, while reading one of our favorite library books about Kindergarten, we read about Music time at school. The teacher in the story told the class that she was going to teach them a very old song for Christmas...in Latin. The music for Dona Nobis Pacem was on the next page. As I started singing it, Maya excitedly joined me "Do-na ---(hey! we know diss one!!! Huh! Hm. Yeah. We know it!) -----No-Peace Pah-chem Pah-chem."

At the end of the song, she was upset when I started to turn the page. She didn't think we had sung the "Christmas song" yet. So she began singing HER Christmas song from her class at church... (to the tune of Jingle Bells) "Christmas bells, Christmas bells, ring dem all a day....Ring dah news dat Jesus tame to wash our sins away." She turned to me and corrected my singing, "SinSSSS, Momma. You say SINN. I say SinSSS." I think she was trying to make a theological point? I still say Sin (with a big S) though I think it's both.

We talked a little bit about what sinsss are...disobeying, not being kind, and she added with a very serious face, her mouth twisted and eyes big "...and taughting (talking) lite a mean dirl." Yes, Maya. Talking like a mean girl. That is sin. And we have lots of messy sin.
She looked down at her hands, inspecting them...and nodded. "Yup. I dot sin on-nair. Hm. But...oh well." Lately she's picked up this frightening teenager-like flippant tone. Occasionally she even says "Whatever."

No Maya, it's in your heart. There is sin in your heart.
"OH???!" she said, sounding surprised and casually interested. After a moment she added with disapointment, "But I tant open it up. I tant see inn-nair."

Her unique....and limited? way of understanding big and small concepts about life is always humbling and clarifying for me....and often pretty funny.

But I'm realizing more and more how little she...or I can do about her heart. It isn't mine, and in many ways, I can't really help her with it.
Every day...hour...I pray that her little heart will stay soft. And that she will know more and more how deeply and completely she is loved by Him.

7 comments:

Lindsey said...

Adorable.
I'll pray for her soft heart too.

Anonymous said...

This is so amazing and sweet. It is amazing how innocent we all start out in life, and how precious that is.
You are such a great mom Angela!!
Cadie Rae

allison said...

so precious.
love you ang

Kate Rudd said...

Oh. So sweet. And I remember how elated I was the first time I realized that you knew Dona Nobis Pacem! After growing up singing it and never hearing it sung by other families..I'm very glad that Maya can now sing it with me, too. Next, we teach her to do it in a round.

:)

Liz Thomson said...

Wow, Angela. You are a great mom to your children. Thank you for being such an example of Christ!

Anonymous said...

Now you know my passion for my precious children and grandchildren's hearts to understand who Jesus is...What a great time with her...I love you.
MOM

Anonymous said...

Being a mother teaches you a lot about the Father's heart, doesn't it? (And how, even when we lose our innocence, we remain so stubbbornly childish in our sin?)
Love you.