Easter Thoughts

Jonge is a deep-thinking boy. This is not something new to me, as I've raised two of those.

Ever since the day 28 years ago when I witnessed Oldest Son at 28 months lean over his six month old sister and declare to her in perfect diction - "Jesus died on the cross for your sin and if you don't ask him into your heart you are going to hell!" - I've paid very close attention to what children say.

I'm not sure where he picked this up, but most likely from something he was watching on TV with my dad. My dad thought that if there was a religious broadcast going on anywhere in the world he MUST be tuned into it.

It also caused me to carefully listen to my children and answer their questions as honestly as I knew how. I only wish I'd done a better job of it. Usually the most honest thing I could say was "I don't know."

Here we will now jump ahead two decades, and then back a few weeks.

It was reading time. I sent all three kids to find a few books to read. We piled on the couch together. As Famke handed me her book, Jonge said "Not that book! It is the scariest book in the whole world!" I looked at it and it was a children's Bible, with illustrations done by the same artist who did the Northern Tissue illustrations.

Of course, you and I both know that the Bible IS a scary book. In so many ways. But, I asked Jonge what he meant. He said, "They kill Jesus."

Now in the world I live in, things happen at alarming speed. Someone was getting squished, someone needed a diaper change, someone needed a nap, so my attempts to engage in meaningful conversation are often done on the move.

I remember talking to Jonge - while changing Kado's diaper and encouraging Famke to go potty and put herself to bed - about how the Bible is also a HAPPY book, because Jesus did not stay dead. I do clearly remember saying to him,

"Jesus came back to life on Easter, so that we can too!"

He pondered out loud what I meant, and I tried to clarify by saying that because Jesus died and came alive again, so could all of the people who had died.

Not too many days later Jonge told me that they were going to be celebrating Easter with daddy's family a week earlier than the real Easter. He seemed upset by this. REALLY upset by this. So, I asked him why.

His response?

"Well, because if it's not on the REAL Easter Sunday then I won't be able to see Pa with a cane and Grandma in a wheelchair when Jesus makes them alive again on Easter Sunday."