I Love Frozen More Than God and Jesus!

Uh oh.  Did she really just say that?  I half expected it though.  Surrounded by her Frozen dolls, wearing Frozen pjs, and holding a Frozen book she crossed her arms and furrowed her eyebrows at me.  She was demanding we read her Frozen book instead of the Bible.  We always set aside time before we go to bed to read our Bibles, but tonight she was tired and wanted her way.  

Rewind a few months: After we first watched the Frozen movie in April and I saw how much the girls loved the story, I began wondering how they would understand the difference between real and pretend.  How are they going to know the Bible is true and Frozen is not especially when every children's Bible we own has very appealing cartoon characters?  I am not a children's expert in the area of cognition.   After I proclaimed my thoughts to a few others, I wondered maybe I had gone too far and I began second guessing myself.  My mind likes to wander.  I had not heard anyone else say this out loud.  Maybe I was just going overboard?  I dismissed the thought and let my child's imagination run free.

Fast forward a few months: Here we are in my daughter's room and she makes her proclamation again, "I love Frozen more than God and Jesus!"  I really wanted to pass the conversation over to her daddy, but he wasn't around and this was not a subject that could wait until the morning.  She might have recently turned four, but I decided we needed to discuss what is real and not real.  

"Katelyn, Elsa and Ana are not real.  It is a made up story.  Jesus is real.  God is real.  The stories we read in the Bible are real.  The story we read about Elsa and Ana is not real.  Jesus really lived on Earth.  God is with us right now.  God cares for you.  God hears you.  When we pray to God we are simply talking to Him.  You cannot talk to Elisa or Ana because they are not real."  I then reminded her the Bible is very important and guides us and helps us daily in our lives.  

My daughter understands who God and Jesus are, but comparing them to another object/thing was new to her and me.  She needed to hear God triumphs over anything and everything.....kind of like the night she told me she wanted to be the fastest one in the world...."I am going to run faster than God and Jesus!"  Wow.  That one caught me off guard.  I had never imagined Jesus running.  We discussed that night as well how she will never be faster than God and Jesus.  This was an almost comical conversation, but necessary in the mind of a four year old.   

This blog post is coming a month after my initial conversation with Katelyn. I have had time to pray, think and ponder about it before writing and posting.  She has had time to think and ponder as well.....

"Mommy, Hans and Kristoff are real, but Elsa and Ana are not. Right, Mommy?"  That was a hand to the forehead moment.  Let me say this has been well.....a learning process for both of us.  Learning how to share about the realness and love of Christ without destroying the imagination of my daughter.  Below are a few thoughts and ideas I have about the subject: 

Find Verses: 
Below are several verses discussing humanity of Christ and God as Creator.  Take time to find these verses with your child.  There are more verses in the Bible on these subjects than I have time or space to list, but here is a sampling. 

Humanity of Christ
Hebrews 2:17-18-- "For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.  Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted."

John 1:14 -- "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."

John 3:17 -- For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 

Luke 2:52 -- And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

God as Creator
Isaiah 40:28 -- "Do you not know?  Have you not heard?  The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.

Genesis 1:1 -- In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Find a Map:
I have found Katelyn has a new passion for maps.  Show your child a map (maybe in your Bible, on the internet or at church) with the Bible towns listed.  Point out the Mediterranean Sea or the Dead Sea.  Katelyn wanted to know where Jesus was born so I showed her Bethlehem.

Find Real Pictures (not cartoon images):
Show your child pictures of present day Jerusalem or maybe a picture of olives or a donkey.  Figure out ways to help your child learn the Bible is not a cartoon, but there are real cities, food, and animals described in it.  

Allow Imagination
I believe children learn best at times through imagination, but as parents we can help guide them through this process (which is the purpose of this blog post).  My youngest daughter, two, often puts a blanket over her hair covering the top of her head and she declares to all around she is Mary (the mother of Jesus).  Then she will pull the blanket down to her shoulders and run through the house proclaiming she is now Queen Elsa of Arendelle.  Yes, this is my home.   Full of dreams, acting, drama and imagination.  

Imagination.  It is good and necessary.  It is also good and necessary to help children sort through who God is and how He is real and His Word is real (Hebrews 4:12).  As parents, it is important to allow conversation between you and your child concerning this subject.  Think about a twenty year old self proclaimed agnostic.  Now think about a four or five year old child.  Who is easier to talk to?  I am enjoying these conversations with my four year old daughter and helping her understand and realize  God and Jesus are better than Frozen.    

An American Inconvenience

I had an American inconvenience today.  Sometimes I wonder if I am the only one who experiences these things.  Like the time, Brandon (my wonderful and handy husband) and I were up until 3 in the morning trying to unclog the sewer line through our guest bathroom.  Rather, I should say he was the one trying to unclog it with a snake.  I was attempting to be the positive morale supporter. And the prayer warrior.  That was a rough night.  Or like the time, when our clutch went out on the highway the same time a crazy flooding rain storm hit Amarillo.  Seriously, dumpsters were floating down the road.  Thankfully, Brandon's granny and papa came to rescue us.  I would rather be reading about other's adventures and not writing about my own, but then again it is through even these "hard" American inconveniences that I am drawn closer to my God.  

Brandon, our two young daughters, 2 and 4, and I were heading back on a five hour drive from spending a glorious two day vacation with family in New Mexico when our Jeep decides to break down 45 minutes from home.  The Jeep is dead.  Dead.  Not cranking up.  Nothing.  We have already been sweating because the a/c didn't work great and now, no a/c and we are stuck on the side of the road.  This is a true modern day American inconvenience, people.  A broken down Jeep and no a/c.  I am starting to be in panic mode.  Brandon calls our insurance to get help with towing.  Somehow the guy on the other end of the phone thinks we are in Sacramento, CA.  Ummm, that is two time zones away from us.  He puts Brandon on hold for 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, I start noticing a few flies.  And then they become too numerous to count.  I try anyway.  (What else I am I going to do?)  There were at least 10 on the driver's seat plus 20 more on the dash....I stopped at 100.  Later, I realized the dirt covered bra, bottle of scope, child's toy, plus many other things on the ground next to my door was someone's trash.  This explained the fly plague we were experiencing and this, my friends, was a true American inconvenience.    

It was at this point, I knew we were going to be stuck in the heat covered in flies for a while.  And really the flies and heat didn't scare me, it was the semi trucks that were passing so close on this two lane highway (one passed at 75 mph every 45 seconds to 1 minute).  I was beginning to freak out a little.  It was then that God brought to my mind, Joshua 1:9.  "Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."  I began repeating this verse over and over for the girls to hear.  I began praying out loud for protection and safety. 

I had an American inconvenience today, yet God still heard me from the moments we lost power on our Jeep through the freak out moments on the side of the rode.  He calmed our fears of safety and protection.  He allowed the Jeep to start up enough to back up into some shade.  He helped the girls stay calm and in control (while sitting buckled in carseats/seatbelts for two hours).  He protected us from crazy drivers, stinging insects and the hot Texas sun.  And finally he whispered in my older daughter's ear and I got to hear her sweet prayers being lifted up to Him.   

An American inconvenience today? Most definitely.  A God who cares and hears my every prayer? Most definitely.