Do you remember what it was like to be eight years old?
Life never ends.
Right now is all there is.
You are the center of the universe.
Mom and Dad are like god to you.
Family and the home is the full extent of life, and everyone else is just matter in motion.
The world is HUGE (prolly a hundred miles around!!!)
The persuit of happiness is the only purpose in life.
Your value lies in being able to jump rope longer than the girl next door.
Your identity is a hair color and a name.
Joy is your favorite food.
Pain is a skinned knee.
Love is a toy from McDonallds.
I've been going through and typing up all my old journals. They start in 1998, when this was my life. (yeah, and you thought I just remembered all those old old memories, did you? lol) The first person account of the persepctive and worldview of an eight year old is so weird. I look back and can see right through myself, but then it was like I lived in this solid bubble and viewed the world through a tiny telescope. Do you guys remember this? Remember how ridiculously signifcant every teeny tiny little thing was back then? How confident and careless you could be when so many thoughts just never crossed your mind? How easy it was to just beleive in things, weather there was a reason to beleive it or not? I'd forgotten.
It's kinda weird, but I've been thinking lots about parenting. Because I've been watching my siblings and asking them questions lately, and it really scares me how little about God and life they actually get. I'm really struggling to find a way to penetrate that bubble with pure truth. It's not that my parents have done a horrible job or anything, I just think they, like me, have forgotten. And I think that's one huge, terrible side affect of growing up and maturing- you loose the ability to relate.
I, for one, am sick of watching spiritualy mature people start at their own place and work backwards to help younger/less mature people. It's so condesending, and it's turning people away from the gospel! They want a God that will meet them where they are at and help them grow, rather than one they have to work towards. And Christainity is not about right and wrong, or performing rituals, or going to church- it's about a relationship. But kids arn't getting this. It's everwhere in teen devotionals and youth groups and buzzwords, but for some reason it's missing the eight year olds.
I'm such a sucker for getting inside other people and understanding every corner and particle of their existance. It's a game I never stop playing. But it's no good if I can't bring something to them...
How do we penetrate that bubble? Thoughts?
Friday, April 20, 2007
Show me your world
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5 comments:
I totally agree, you have to make God attainable and not some etherial dude who just sits back and watches the world go 'round. However, God isn't like this. He's not someone we can put in a box and say, "Here you go, happy birthday!" The trick is to present enough facts to challenge the person at the level of faith they are at right then but not too much as to push them into denial or lack of caring. Anytime you deal with people there is a delicate balance. There's never one, fix-all solution when dealing with humans. I know for me personally, I didn't really begin to grow until I entered high school and was presented with theology and heavy philosophy from Ed. The other factor at play is the homeschool bubble that creates this idealistic bubble you described. It's hard to make a child care when they are carefree. Or think deeply when they are presented nothing that conflicts with their moral beliefs. That's my two cents. You can take it or leave it :-) Deep thinking and wise words as usual Em J!
Praying In Christ,
Ryan
Part of being child is not caring. You know, the innocence of a child? Sometimes it is easier to be innocent though . . .
i'd give a big fat "word" to ryan's comments, definitely on target, there.
and to you, too, emily, really clear.
what i'd been thinking about too, you thoughts-stealer-you.
i was reading this book saturday called "an american childhood" by annie dillar, a memoir of her early years. really eye-opening, because it reminded me so much of what i thought about everything when i was little. highly recommend it.
no big solutions coming from me-lol. i understand what you mean, though.
Funny, I don't see Sam saying "word" or when I do I twitch...
Ah...I'm late as usual. Wait - I just used a LotR line w/o even realizing it!!!
somebody help me!!!!
anyway, ditto what everone else said. those are some great thoughts. eight was really good! actually, I started growing up when I was eight because that's when we moved out here, so that made me grow up a little; new house, new school, etc. But I agree with Ryan, I didn't really start maturing until I started say, Jr. High.
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