Writer's Workshop - The Things They Say

Welcome to another fun filled week of writing inspiration!! Pick your poison...
They link up with Mama Kat and share!

This Week's Prompts

1.) What did you go through in order to get out? “The best way out is always through” 

2.) Five Things. List 5 things we don't know about you, 5 things you're knowledgeable about, 5 things you know nothing about, and 5 things you believe. 

3.) The first of December is upon us! Describe an Advent Calendar or a special way you count down days until Christmas (past or present). 

4. Kids say the darndest things...describe a time a child's honesty made you think. 

5.) Tell us the story of how your pet came to be a member of your family. 

I chose to write about number four.  Kids say the darnedest things!  

A few years ago, we were gathered at a family get-together.  I think it was Thanksgiving.  My husband has 13 brothers and sisters.  Every year, they all get together at one of the houses and have a combined dinner.  It is something they have been doing for 25 years or so.  It is a big deal, and one that we hardly ever miss.  

I should tell you that my husbands family are mostly all devout Catholics.  There are a couple of other religions in the mix, but they all like to get together, have fun, drink wine or  beer, and eat a great dinner.   

I should also tell you that my husband and I are not Catholic.  Our beliefs do not permit us to drink alcohol of any type.  We always bring a cooler of soda, juice, and sometimes sparkling cider, and take our drinks with the kids of the family.  

My girls have been going to these family parties since they were born.  They love to get together with all their cousins and aunts and uncles and their Grandma-mum.  It is always a wonderful day.  Somehow, I never thought about explaining the religious differences to them.  We have always just gone and had fun.

My daughter was about five or six and was eating outside with Grandma-mum and several of the other people at the gathering.  All of the sudden, she noticed that Grandma-mum had a glass of wine and was DRINKING it.  She proceeded to tell her how Heavenly Father commanded us not to drink wine and how she was going to get sick and die.  Then she came into the house where I was and started crying because her grandmother was drinking.  In her loudest stage whisper she proceeded to tell me how drinking wasn't healthy and how she did not want her grandmother to die.  

We had to have a serious talk about religious differences and choices while we were there that day.  you probably should know that I don't know where she picked up the alcohol makes you die part of her belief.  That is not something I have ever told them.  But she sobbed for an hour because she just knew it was bad.    

What I admired about her honesty was her total willingness to share (with absolutely everybody) her own beliefs.  I have to think about the willingness of children to preach and share their testimonies, no matter how uncomfortable it might be for the grownups to hear.  

I have to admire her desire to make sure that her Grandma-mum was healthy and was doing the things that were right.  

I admire the love that she feels for her extended family.  Even though they don't believe the way we do, she loves them unconditionally.  She is upset when they are not making, what to her, is a wise choice.  

I admire that she is willing to speak up, speak out, and let everyone know that there is a problem.  She does not keep her troubles inside, she does not make up excuses.  She tells it like she sees it.   I wish I had just a little of that strength and integrity in my own life.  I hope some of it rubs off on me.

It was Jesus Christ Himself who taught us to look to the children as our example. The New Testament records His answer when His Apostles disputed who should be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus answered their question with a powerful object lesson. He called a little child to Him and set him in the midst of them and said:

“Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
“Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3–4).