Out of the Mouth of Babes....

Since Easter, Janen has been very curious about Jesus. Specifically the Atonement and Resurrection. It all started when Aunt Lindsey was showing the kids an Easter video the night before Easter to help them learn/remember about what Easter is really about. It stayed with her as I read her The Berestain Bears Easter story. Then the curiosity continued when we stayed with Kerry and Jeannie. They have a drawing of a hand signing I love you in sign language with a hole in the palm. It's a representation of Jesus' hand. Since she recognized the sign (we do it with her every day) and she had just learned about the atonement, she wanted to know all about it. Her questions have been amazingly deep and I can see her internalizing what we are telling her.

"Mom, why does Jesus have holes in his hands and feet?"
"Dad, why were those people mean to Jesus?"
"Mom, why did Jesus have to die on the cross for me?"
"Dad, do you think it hurt Jesus when they put the nails in his hands and feet?"
"Dad, do I have to die on the cross to go to Heaven?"

Every day since Easter, she has asked about the Atonement and Resurrection. Last night, she wanted to chat with us before she went to bed. James went into chat with her last and she started asking about Jesus again. Somehow the topic got onto what happens to us when we die. James explained to her that our spirits go up to the spirit world until it is time for us to be reunited (or resurrected) with our bodies. So she asked, "Dad, who gave us our spirits?" He answered, "Heavenly Father." After his response she sat there for a minute pondering and then asked, "But Dad, who gave Heavenly Father his spirit?" James said, "Well, his father did." She was satisfied with the answer.

Janen also said, "I don't want to be resurrected. Not yet. I still have things to do." :)

 It's amazing to me how someone so young could ask such deep questions. She reminds me so much of me in so many ways. I remember being as young as her and wondering how God and Heaven and everything worked.

What I also love about all of her new found knowledge, is that learning about Jesus in a very "real" way has helped her feel connected to him even more. Where she used to fidget and fudge through prayers, she now stays still and listens intently and is adding more to her prayers then her usual 2 or 3 lines. She is also doing very well at paying attention during scripture study and asking questions on her own.

I love this new found love of hers!