Daniel and the kids were in the dining room, and I was in the kitchen making breakfast, when Mara got her “perkle [purple] bag” and hopped on her tricycle, announcing, “Mara going on a long trip. Mara going to see JE-sus!”
It makes sense that she would want to see Him. We read her stories over and over of how Jesus helped people. We look at pictures of Jesus holding children and tell her that Jesus loves her too. She can even sing the first verse and chorus of “Jesus Loves Me” all by herself. She believes He is real! So we watched as she “walked” her tricycle [she doesn’t know how to pedal yet] into the living room and then sat there on it, looking around expectantly–for Jesus, of course.
After a moment, we heard her exclaim, in a perplexed voice: “Jesus not here!”
Of course, that’s where it gets complicated. I figured I could explain it to her this way: “Jesus is far, far away in heaven. We can’t see him.”
“Mara go to heaven,” she decided. “See Jesus.” Poor child, I guess that would be the next logical step.
Daniel muttered something to me about not wanting Mara to go to heaven just yet, and then said, “Actually, Mara, Jesus is right here!–With us!” Mara looked more perplexed than ever.
I think we will have to finish this discussion when Mara is a little older!