An E&E first: They carved turnips.

It turns out that if you drill a hole in a turnip, it has a carving consistency quite like a pumpkin’s, although the children had to keep their designs simple to fit the size. Ethan saved his elaborate cat face for the pumpkin.

An Eliana first: She found contentment through faith.

A soft, whimpering cry drew me to Eliana’s room tonight. When I asked her what was the matter, she told me that she would die soon. I’d noticed over the last couple weeks that she has been grasping pieces of what death is about. It was the perfect opportunity to share with her how God has a plan for her life, and lots of work for her to do, like being kind to her brother and parents, being a helper, likely loving her husband very much and making him very happy. When she’s done with all the work God has for her, probably after a long time, that’s when God will decide it’s time for her to die. It’s like going to sleep, only when she wakes up, she’ll see Jesus in heaven and be with him forever. It will be the same for me when I’m done with all God’s work for me, and so she’ll get to see me in heaven, too.

Eliana’s four-year-old emotions are fragile, but her faith is unquestioning. She immediately found full contentment in the knowledge of God’s eternal plan.

A well-timed allegory

We’ve been reading Prince Caspian from the Chronicles of Narnia for a devotional. Often it has spilled over into a bedtime story because we didn’t want to put the book down after dinner. Lewis’ allegories often bring up spiritual conversations. Sometimes, like today, they tie directly into questions already on the children’s mind.

Ethan came home commenting about how few children at school are interested in following Jesus. That evening, we read about the reaction of the Telmarines after Aslan’s army swept over the land. Some accepted Aslan’s invitation to join him, but many did not. What in their hearts motivated their choices? Did Aslan specifically call some to himself? These questions helped Ethan grapple with his own question at his seven-year-old level and a further trust for God’s sovereign election.