The other day, we realized that we needed to replace our much-beloved but irreparable Jesus Storybook Bible. The binding was broken and fixed many times, pages were falling out, and the reading experience was precarious as we kept the book together. We got the same version for Elle (who, we realized, has never owned her own Bible!) and got Bea the Children of God Storybook Bible by Desmond Tutu.
She opened it and read aloud, Out of this love, God spoke. “Let there be light.” And there was day. And there was night.
She closed the book and declared in a deep voice, Let there be fairies!
Nothing happened. She looked at me, shrugged and said, Well, that didn’t work!
As we were talking about the creation story, Bea told me she wanted to go to heaven to be with God and Jesus because she was sure they would give her wings. I just want to be able to fly…
Did you ever play the game where you had to choose a superpower? The version we played always gave the choice between the power of flight and the power of invisibility. There are a couple interesting articles about who you are based on your choice (essentially if you choose flight, you’re a leader who doesn’t mind the spotlight) but for me, this spoke less about Bea’s potential for leadership and more about a childlike wish for freedom.
I’m often in awe of how Bea interprets the Bible. She picks out details and asks questions that I have long forgotten. She reminds me that, to have “faith like a child” means she interacts with the stories and text with deep curiosity and big questions. Somewhere along the journey, those questions become more thoughtful and based on experience and research. Somewhere, the curiosity becomes hedged as answers are expected.
The older I get, the more I’m able to let go of the answers. I’m even learning to let go of the questions. I’m learning that approaching life with a lens of curiosity is amazing. Bea doesn’t even ask the question, Can I create a fairy? but simply declares, Let there be fairies!
Maybe this is what it means to have faith like a mustard seed. I need to let go of the structure of the questions themselves and approach life with more of a declaration.
What would your superpower be? What does having faith like a child mean to you?
Linked with Five Minute Friday, a time to write without editing. Today’s prompt is “fly.”
Books Referenced:
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Annie Rim 
Oh, I really like your take on the super power choosing game. I always thought of flying as freedom, too.
Thanks! That link to living uninhibited sounds so wonderful, doesn’t it?
Let there be fairies, love it. I know that I want the freedom of flying but not the reality of gravity. Still, let the wind lift me up.
Ha! Yes – that reality can get you… I love that there’s a promise of flight – whether literal or not – in the world to come!
So many lessons we can learn through listening to our children! Sometimes I think I don’t want to declare because I may just get disappointed if my declaration does not show up like I want it. Yet, that really isn’t being faithful to His promises is it? Instead I could be more child-like like Bea, ask and then move on with a shrug. 🙂
Declaring my hopes and dreams is so hard. It feels too vulnerable, even between me and God. I love learning from my kids – it’s priceless!
Children teach us so much about faith and life. The Jesus Storybook Bible is one of my absolute faves! I’m in the 5 spot this week.
I hope we never outgrown the Jesus Storybook Bible. 🙂
I love the imagination of children of all ages, even adults. 🙂
I need to remember to let my imagination run wild more often!
I’d be lying if I didn’t say this made me tear up a little. ‘I want to fly!’ Let there be fairies, awww. Your sweet Bea. I love God winks, especially lately. This week a friend shared a little testimony of having jet lag, waking up at 4am and deciding to go off on a prayer walk. As she was chatting out loud to God a feather fell out of no where and landed right in front of her path; tell your little dreamer, with faith we can fly.
God winks! Whenever I doubt that God is interested in our mundane, things like this happen. And I’m so grateful for the reminders.
Ah, but faeries abound! You just have to be old enough to be young enough to see them.
I already have a superpower; I can’t be broken, can’t be killed. The devil sent cancer to claim me…
…and I am sending it back, in pieces.
#2 at FMF this week.
https://blessed-are-the-pure-of-heart.blogspot.com/2018/06/your-dying-spouse-482-ill-cry-tomorrow.html
Love the idea that fairies are at the intersection of time and youth. Your superpower is indeed teaching us what it looks like to trust and fight!
I once instigated a superpower day for my kids. We all had to create ourselves a a superhero. Mine was many hands. I feel like there’s too much to do at one time with only two hands. Now, I would like to wrinkle my nose like Samantha on Bewitched and instantly clean up a room.
Ha! Yes!! Octopus-hero! 😉 And, what I wouldn’t give for a self-cleaning house… That would be incredible!