January 30,
2013
During our family prayer this
evening, AJ was desperately trying to remember a specific word, and it was one
of those words whose synonyms don’t carry the same weight as the word itself. While he was racking his brain trying
franticly to recall the word, he kept repeating, “What is that word? What. Is that, word? WHAT IS THAT WORD?!” All the while, with his head turned to the
ceiling and his face scrunched in deep concentration. This was the first time Samuel had ever
witnessed this strange spectacle during a prayer, and he was very
confused. Gently, he tried to assure his
Daddy that it was okay, and he was making an effort to cue AJ what to say next. But Daddy was so focused on figuring out that
one word, he was oblivious to Samuel.
Instead, AJ used a whole slough of words, in a patchy attempt to convey
the same meaning he could have said with one.
After our family
hugs and kisses AJ took Samuel to his room to tuck him into bed, but before bed
we help him say his personal prayers.
Reverently, Samuel
started, with his head bowed into his folded arms, “Hem Fadder (Heavenly Father), love you. Bless the … mumble, mumble, mumble.”
Confused at his
unusual behavior, AJ said, “Samuel, I can’t hear what you are saying
Buddy. Sit up big and talk loud; so I
can hear, okay.”
To which Samuel
adjusted himself slightly and started again, “Bless the … mumble-y mumble
mumbling.”
Starting to get a
little impatient with Samuel’s disrespect during a prayer AJ said, “Son. You need to sit up big and talk clearly to
show respect to Heavenly Father and Jesus during your prayer. Start again, okay.”
“Hem Fadder,”
Samuel began again, “Bless the …” Then
he lifted his little head to the sky, with his eyes scrunched tight and his
lips pierced, in mock concentration and said, “Whas suh say? Whas suh say? (What to say? What to say?)”
At this point, AJ
quickly wrapped up Samuel’s prayer, tucked him into bed, and ran out of the
kid's room so Samuel couldn't hear his laughing. What an observant boy we have.
