Differences. Heaven. Teaching Moments.

We ended up at O'Charleys last night for dinner.  This was a treat, being that it's the end of the month and the spreadsheet is shot- AGAIN.  However, after a failed attempt at Salmon Patty Burgers on the grill by me and a frustrated husband working for an hour to get the gas line hooked up on the range only to be unsuccessful, and a toddler that had eaten his fair share of pretzel sticks, dinner had to be had. 

We sat down, ordered our food, noticed it was Free Pie Wednesday (THANK YOU JESUS FOR CARAMEL PIE!!) and we ate our dinner.  I don't know if it was out of starvation, or just ease of sitting down to eat a prepared meal that I didn't have to prepare or clean up, but it was divine. 

About halfway through our meal a man and lady came in to have dinner.  The man was in a motorized wheel chair.  It was the type that was leaned back, he had a joystick type thing to operate it.  His legs were thin.  He wore a blue Goodwill Apron.  It appeared to be his mother with him.  Easton of course noticed the mans differences right away.

Always quick to ask questions, he started asking us about this man and why he was in that chair.  We tried to explain to him that his legs didn't work like ours worked and that his chair was what helped him get around.  He wanted to know what happened.  And why.  And how.  And all of the questions a tender 3 year old heart could think of.  He let it all soak in a minute, then the questions started again. 

We eventually convinced him that we could talk about it later because we would not want to hurt this mans feelings if he felt like we were talking about him.  That worked.  We finished our dinner and enjoyed our pie.

Finally back at home, way later than the normal bedtime, we sat down for prayers in his rocker.  I was about to start and he said 'we didn't talk about that man that's legs didn't work'.

And the questions began again.

I explained as best I could once again, that God makes us all a bit different.  Some with blonde hair, some with brown.  Some tall, some short.  Some with legs that work and some that need a wheelchair to help get them around.  I explained that even though he was different from us, he was ok and that he was still having a good time at dinner with his mother.  That he was still a happy person. 

Easton kept asking why this man wasn't in Heaven.  I tried my best to explain to him that we are all alive and it's not our time to go to Heaven; that man was alive just like me and him were and it's just not our time.  I explained that when we die we go to Heaven, but when we get there we are alive again.  I told him we will all die one day and we will go to Heaven.  He quickly said 'not me, just old people die.'

His wheels were turning.  His heart showing through those twinkling brown eyes.  So tenderly taking everything in asking the questions he wasn't sure about and stopping me where he needed more clarification.

He must have accepted my answers because I was able to finish our prayers and lay him down with our normal 'good nights', 'sleep goods' and 'I love you's'.  But I know his little mind was still racing.  He thinks things through.  He's so tender.  He's so gentle with other peoples feelings.  He's just about perfect, if I do say so myself. 

But now I wonder.  How do you explain Heaven? How do I explain that Jesus is in Heaven, but he also lives in our hearts.  That He's what allows us to do the right things, to make the right choices, to love others.  How do you explain death and Heaven with a smile on your face, yet not wanting him to feel like he's missing out on that now. Often times he'll say 'I wanna go to Heaven mommy' and the tears form in my eyes. Heaven is a wonderful place, one we all want to go to, I just don't want him to go now. But how do I boldly, yet clearly explain that to him? Is there a book on how to teach a 3 year old about Heaven? Even about differences? Because for whatever reason, he felt that this man needed to be in Heaven. Have I told him to much? To little? To many details? 

This is such a precious age.  A trying age at times, but such a teachable age.  I want to make sure I'm doing this right.    I want him to KNOW Jesus, and Heaven, and accept others differences without even seeing them as different and to always have a heart for others.  I cannot believe this child is mine.  What a gift.  Lord, help me make the most of this gift- and to never take my position as his mother fore granted.