Yesterday, while we were sitting in the car waiting for BK to finish pumping the gas, Little Miss said, “Mommy, remember the God talk the other night?”
“The God talk?” I asked, trying to remember what she was referring to.
“Yeah, you know, the one where you said you forgave God for Poppy?”
“Whaaaaat?” I asked, amid the peals of laughter from the other girls. “I forgave God for Poppy?”
“Yeah, remember, at the end of my prayer the other night, you said “I forgive God for Poppy.”
“Ohhhhh,” I said, suddenly remembering the conversation. After her bedtime prayer, I often ask her if she wants to add anything, like what she’s thankful for, sorry for or asking for. After one too many nights of “Thank you for my Barbies,” or “I would like more toys,” I tried to steer her in the direction of less material things, like being thankful for her sisters, her parents, her grandparents, her home and food on the table. As an example, I told her things I was thankful for, which of course, included Poppy.
“No, I said I thank God for Poppy, not forgive Him for him,” I clarified, just as Poppy opened the car door and asked what was so funny.
“Oh, nothing, we’re just forgiving God for you,” I said.
“Oh,” he said, nonplussed, but I explained the situation anyway.
It was a good lesson on what a difference one word can make.