Going Green
We lay on her bed, under the patchwork quilt, just the two of us. Daughter and mom. Bible resting on daughter’s legs.
She begins, highlighter poised: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth.” She colors each sentence as she reads, stumbling over words like “formless” and “hovering,” which she pronounces HOOVER-ing, like the vacuum.
“What’s the Spirit of God, Mommy?” she asks. “Is that the Holy Spirit?”
“Yes, Lydia,” I respond. “Isn’t that cool? The Holy Spirit was there, even in the beginning.”
She continues.
“Let there be light.”
“And God saw that it was good.”
“Let there be an expanse between the waters …”
“And God saw that it was good.”
Lydia’s pace quickens. Her green highlighter traces each line. She looks at me in awe: “Mommy! That’s just how you told us in Sunday School. It’s right here! In my Bible!”
“Yes, Lydia. This is the same story. Go on, honey. You’re doing great …”
She continues, reading of the land producing vegetation. She snickers when she gets to the part about animals moving along the ground. (She knows how her mom fears certain reptiles.) Even when God saw the snakes, she instructs me, He saw that they were good.
Her highlighting continues, so rapidly that the lines she draws become crooked.
We reach the end of the chapter. God has seen all that He has made and declared it “very good.”
The highlighter, I’ve told her before, is for her to use on the parts of the Bible she likes the most.
So she colored every word of Genesis, Chapter 1. The entire first chapter of Lydia’s NIV Adventure Bible — every word of it — has been colored in green.
She likes all of it the most.
God saw all that Lydia had done. And it was very good.
***
From the 2008 archives.
It is very luxurious to be at Mum’s and be brought tea every morning 🙂 I am so glad that He is strongest when we are at our weakest 🙂
That Lydia is a smart one!! One cool kid for sure. Miss you guys terribly!
NICE! That must be so great to sit with your daughter doing that! What a blessing you are to her.
How cool is that!?! A minute after a frustrating moment with my last born, I sit down and read this. I pray for an opportunity like this when she is Lydia’s age – perhaps then we will both be a little more mature! Thanks for sharing.
How cool is that!?! A minute after a frustrating moment with my last born, I sit down and read this. I pray for an opportunity like this when she is Lydia’s age – perhaps then we will both be a little more mature! Thanks for sharing.
Okay, that is one of the cutest things I’ve seen in a long time. Having three girls, all of whom are too old to do things like this, enjoy this time.
I love the way she took the time to mark up the “you are special” header. 😉
Real Live Preacher using the highcalling google account
Hey girl! This is a message to you to let you know you’ve been
tagged. Basically what that means is you can go to my blog, copy the tag image and do what it says by posting to your blog and passing it onward to 7 other bloggers. Fun huh?
Hugs,
Sarah Lopez
I can’t wait to get this kid into third grade confirmation. Maybe you can start her early? I have a class at 4:00 this afternoon . . .
Greetings Jennifer,
Thanks so much for your inspiration and scripture research. It meant a lot to me that you took the time to help with that. I will share these Biblical truths with my sister soon. I can’t wait for the kids to go to sleep early tonight to so I can play catch up on your blog. I really don’t know you all too well, but I’m betting you’re an amazing woman. Can’t wait to read.
In Him,
Sarah
Chrissy: Miss you, too. Your baby will be reading her own NIV soon enough!
Lynn: Thank you! Yes, it is a joy to sit with her and watch her read … and to just feed off of her excitement.
Godfredsen: Amen, brother. Won’t be long til your wee one is getting pumped up over God’s word. You’re a great daddy to those kids!
Gordon: re, the “You’re Special” header … Yeah, that was precious. She had done that after I left the room.
journeyman: Brings fresh meaning to “child-like faith.” Wanna get me some of that.
Sarah: No problem. It was my pleasure. God bless you on your journey. Can’t wait to hear how things go with your sis!
What a blessing…a very special little girl, following in the footsteps of her wonderful mom & following the footsteps of Jesus…how awesome is that! How sweet that she highlighted it all! I love it!
Love you!
Tracy
Falling behind with my reading of your blog. I love this post. I “wish I would have” read the bible with my kids. I was so busy just trying to get to work, get the dishes done, get the laundry done, get the meals made, get someone somewhere…..now the 2 big ones are out of the house and the “little one” is in high school. I am thankful today for Seeds of Faith church, Sunday School, Youth Group and the faithful leaders who shape our children. You have such a gift with words. I enjoy reading about your life. Love, Carol http://carolchil.blogspot.com
moments like these … better the rule than the exception … i like thinking that one day your daughter will be doing the same with one of her own children.
Oh, so wonderful!!
What a wonderful story. It’s the little moments that leave the biggest impressions…