Again

Over the last few weeks, Cole has really upped his game in asking questions. I knew it had to be coming, since this seems to be about the age kids do that, but I don’t think I was quite prepared for the persistence that often accompanies them.

For example, a conversation in the car might go something like this:

“What’s that car doing, Mommy?”

“Uh…It’s driving down the road, Honey.”

“Where’s it going?”

“I don’t know, Sweetie.”

“Well, is it going home?”

“Maybe so.”

“Well, what street does it live on?”

“I’m not really sure where it lives.”

“Does it live on Mayflower*?” (Our street)

“I’m not sure, Honey.”

“Well, does it live on Sunrise?” (The street we take to get to church)

“I don’t really know where it lives, Honey. I guess it might live on Sunrise”

“Well, does it live on Lone Oak?" (Grammy and Poppy’s street)

“Honey, I don’t know where it lives.”

“Well, does it live on Kingsley?” (Nan and Grandpa’s street)

(Taking a deep breath) “Sure, Honey, it might live on Kingsley”

(Pointing to another car) “Where's that car going, Mommy?”

Sigh…

I could go on, but you get the point.

Sometimes I think I might lose my mind over questions like these that come all day long.

And then, sometimes, I smile with wonder at this marvelous little creature with such a capacity for learning. My hope is that I’ll be able to answer all his questions adequately, or at least help him find the answer if I don’t know it myself.

One night last week I wondered if I had answered him adequately.

We were just finishing up my part of Cole’s bedtime routine. Derek usually gives him a bath, brushes his teeth and reads him a story. At that point, I take over and sing 3 songs, Cole says a prayer, I say a prayer, and then we cuddle for a few minutes before I kiss him goodnight. Cole is very predictable in his routines, most of the time. His prayer is often the same, “Thank you, God, for Mommy and Daddy and Cole and Max, and thank you for you, too, and baby Jesus. Amen.”

This night was no exception, until I’d finished my prayer.

The conversation went something like this:

Cole: Mommy, is God a train?

Me: A train? Uh, no, Honey, He’s not a train.

Cole: Well, what does He look like?

Me: Well, um, we don’t really know what He looks like (Pause for thinking, trying to figure how to explain an invisible God to an almost 3 year old). But we do know He’s big and strong and…

Cole: (Interrupting) Does God have a house?

Me: Um, well, yes, sort of…

Cole: (Cheerfully and matter-of factly) Then we can go to His house and see what He looks like.

Me: Oh, well, see, God lives in heaven, and when we get there, you’re right, we’ll see what He looks like. But for now we know He’s big and strong, and we can see the things He’s made, like you and me and Daddy and Max, and…

Cole: (Interrupting again) Yeah, He made us like puzzles.

Me: (Confused) Like puzzles?

Cole: Yeah, He put our heads together with our bodies and our arms and legs, and then He put in teeth so we could chew things.

Me: (Concealing a giggle) Oh, I see. Yes, I suppose it might have been something like that.

Cole: (Content and thoughtful for a brief moment, and then, solemnly) We should pray to Him again.

Me: Yes, Love, let’s pray to him again.

Oh, how I pray Cole will always think so much of our God and will always want to pray to Him again.

For now, let the questions come.

And my prayer: “Lord, give me the answers I need to guide this dear boy down Your path. And may I, too, always want to pray to you…again."

*Street names have been changed for privacy.