Extremes

This morning Caleb, Carly and I were driving along to run a few errands, and I remarked that is was getting cloudy, and "bring on the rain!" Caleb says, "Is it starting to rain?"

me: "Yes, maybe."

Caleb: "Cuz that's the weather."

me: "Yeah. God made all kinds of weather, the rain and the clouds..."

Caleb: "Who is God?"

me wondering how in the world do I explain who God is to a three-year-old: "God is our creator. He made everything you can see. He made you, and me."

Caleb: "and Baby, and Daddy."

me: "That's right. What else do you think God made?"

Caleb: "the trees.... the grass..... that gate..... a sign, a yellow one and a white one..... "

Isn't that a sweet conversation?

Fast forward two hours....

"Caleb, it's time to go nite-nite. "

"But I have four minutes to watch my show."

"Yes, you do, but I don't think there are any more cartoons on right now. I'll start the DVD player and you can watch whatever is in there for your four minutes."

Cars comes on. "I DON'T LIKE THIS SHOW!!!!! I'M GOING TO TURN THE TV OFF AND WATCH NUTTIN!!!"

"That's fine, then you can just go to bed without watching TV."

"NO!!!! I'M GOING TO PUT SOMETHING ELSE IN THAT I LIKE!!!" At this point his face is contorting in rage.

I go and pick him up off the couch, and tell him softly in his ear that he has just lost his privilege and is now going to bed with no books. "NO NO NO!!!!!!" This is the beginning of a devilish-sounding screaming fit that makes me teeth hurt. He got put into his bed and the light turned out, door closed all the while screaming like I was choking him (which I did not). As the door closed the screaming increased in volume and pitch.. and lasted about 5 minutes until he figured out that I was not coming back in his room. Then it gradually died down to a whimper. I went about my business of cleaning up lunch and Carly, put her to bed as normal, and by that time he was quiet. When I stuck my head in to see if he was asleep he was lying in his bed like an angel, awake, and looking very remorseful. So I went in and we had a little talk.. he understood why he was sent to bed with no books, I kissed him on the forehead, and said nite nite. Seriously. Two extremes in one day. Whew.

Makes me wonder if our small learning discovery about who God is and what God has made was counteracted by the father of lies (John 8:42) to discourage me and make him forget altogether. What a world. But I love this! The Message Bible paraphrases Romans 8:38-39 like this:

I'm absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.

That's right.