Kind to a fault...
I was about to leave the elderly priest's flat I had been visiting with the children. He took great delight in blessing them before we left, and not wishing them to go away empty - handed said:
“ Here, the children like these biscuits – take them home with you...I think they have gone a bit stale because I don’t eat biscuits..."
He was so honest I wanted to hug him!(But he may still have the biscuits...)
Bean there, done that...
A young boy was tormenting his nan in the school playground as she awaited an older child. My two joined in the mayhem as he threw a "whoopie cusion" about, and jumped on it to make it rasp as loudly as possible. The boy then took great delight in flinging the toy over a high fence which his nan struggled to climb over and retrieve.
My heart went out to her, as she was pretty worn out.
I tried to say something kind
"He's full of beans isn't he!?"I quipped... and then realised that was probably not the best choice of words....
Land Ahoy
We were on our way home from Ikea days before bonfire night. We were bored on the motorway so spotting fireworks in the dark sky kept us awake.
I spotted an opportunity for catechesis...
" Oh look!" I exclaimed to the children - "There's Mary's star - the "Star of the sea!"
Child: " Why is she in the sea?"
Me: "No, she's in heaven, the star is in the sky...the sailors use the star to bring them safely home, and Mary is the star that guides us home to heaven."
Child: "Is she in heaven with Jesus?"
Me: " Yes, Jesus is her son."
Child: "Is he the Sun?"
Me: No, like the son of the Father, as in the sign of the cross...Jesus is God."
Child: "Is "God " Jesus' sur-name then?"
Me; (giving up) I guess you could say that...wooo! look at that rocket!!!
Flower power
Using the last flowers of my dwindling bouquet,I thought I had done quite a nice flower arrangement in the hall by my statue of Saint Francis...
An hour later, I found I was wrong. The children had added that much needed "something extra." Tell me, do they teach the art of Ikebana
in pre school these days?
Suprise!
Don't all mums just love it when the children pick them something nice from out of the garden?
Here's the poorly baby mouse they picked out of the garden for me.
Aaah! Bless!
Advent being almost upon us, the boys had spent the afternoon learning Christmas songs in school. We had a rendition in the car on the way home. Inspired by thoughts of baby Jesus, Matthew insisted on visiting Church on the way home.
It was (as we so often find these days,) locked up.
We drove into the car park as near to the door as we could.
Me: "Here, Mattthew, you can shout to Jesus from here and he Will hear you."
Matthew: "But I want to get out and see him through the door..."
The wind howled around us buffeting the car, then down came the rain pummelling at the windows.
Me: "I think it is a bit too windy out there Matthew, and its starting to rain."
We drove off slowly, Matthew was quiet now, but he had been thinking:
"Mum, when it rains, that is Jesus - He's crying."
"Ohh, is that right?" I asked trying to look for oncoming traffic.
"Mum, when it rains is that how we get Holy Water?"
PHOTO: A corner of my kitchen windowsill, my hallway and a mouse baby.
