Bible Banging!

The boys are enrolled in a preschool at a church, which is quite funny if you remember how I struggled with sending Andy to one specific Christian preschool when he was two.  That one I had a couple of issues with, though, mainly the fact that it operated out of somebody's house and just felt... wrong.  I went with my gut on that one, and after two years of being preschooled at the park district, we switched to a very lovely Lutheran school that we are all quite happy with.  I'm mostly impressed at the level of CONTROL the teachers seem to have over the children.  At the park district, you could always hear a lot of ruckus and yelling coming from the preschool room.  At the church preschool, the children file in politely, know where to find their seat, and begin to quietly work.  I have to imagine that the children are better behaved in part because of the teaching style employed and in part because they all are now living with the absolute fear of God.

Of course, Alex doesn't report too much home to me aside from naming the snack that he was given and occasionally name-dropping one of his friends.  But Andy is providing me with a lot of information, often volunteering, out of nowhere, "Miss Laura has a book called the Bible and everything in it's THE TRUTH."  When he says this, Alex will pipe up, "Bible!  Bible!"  I guess he is trying to communicate that on Monday he not only got cheese crackers but also a dose of Bible!

And before I continue any further, let me just say that I am in agreement with all the Christian tenements and basically think it's a good thing that the boys are getting a religious education.  But man oh man.  I think religion may be a bigger focus than learning to read or count.

These are the things that Andy wants to know:

Does Jesus love ME, too?

Am I going to go to Heaven one day?

Why did God make all the creatures?

Do I know Adam and Eve?

How many eyes does God have?  Because Andy thinks he has a HUNDRED so he can see EVERYTHING.

Do I remember when it rained a lot and all of the animals had to get in the boat?

Why didn't I kiss my dead Grandpa to bring him back to life?

Oh, wait, that last question was after watching "Snow White."  To which I didn't have a good answer other than it's only true love's kiss that brings one back to life, and that's only in cartoons anyway. Now who wants a doughnut?

Andy is extremely interested in Bible stories, and there is no more effective way to quell his occasional naughtiness than to remind him of the hundred eyes of God.  Which is the obvious response, I'd imagine.  I do fully expect him to start acting a little more righteous in the house and perhaps begin pointing out my occasional sinning, mostly taking the name of the Lord in vain and forgetting to keep the Sabbath day holy.  What, that's every third Monday, right?

But, really, upon review of the ten commandments, how is MURDERING SOMEONE on par with coveting a neighbor's ox?  I myself have a lot of questions about religion but will keep them to myself lest Andy decides to school me.

I am interested to see how Andy's (and Alex's) beliefs start to form and get uniquely molded. This is an important point in their religious journey, Miss Laura's Bible and the tales of Adam, Eve, Noah, and Snow White.

It's important that my children have some sense of wonder and faith.  It goes beyond religion, like when Andy bemoans that none of his wishes come true. Chris and I have opposite responses to Andy's sadness over unfulfilled wishes.

Chris:  Most wishes don't come true, Andy.  Go to sleep.

Me:  Wishes do come true, Andy.  Just sometimes not right away and how you would expect.  Go to sleep.

I know most of my wishes have come true.  Two of them are at preschool as we speak, amazed how so little fish and bread could feed an enormous crowd while six garlic knots at dinner last night only fed two of us. Sorry, Chris and Alex.  Andy and I ate all the garlic knots.