Hansen Sunday Comics

It's Monday.  Just wanted to let you know that, yes, I know it is Monday and I meant to post this on Sunday.  But that didn't happen... surprise! Life happened.  And now my newly found idea of doing an occasional "Hansen Sunday Comics" has been postponed to Monday.

Which actually makes this debut of the "Hansen Sunday Comics" that much more meaningful, and well, funny.  I thought this would be a good way to collect a week's, or so, worth of Andrew's say-it-like-it-is, four-year old comments and silly remarks to share.  He is a pretty funny and intuitive kid.  I think we can all learn a lot from his perpetual charm, grace and frankness.

He also has a very strong love for the Lord, Jesus Christ, and God, His Father.  Jesus loves the children.  And there is a reason why.  They show their love so abundantly and without hindrance.  I learn from Andrew daily what it means to love one another and love the Lord.  Amazing how powerful and close our children can make us see the grace and goodness of God. 

I was driving the boys to school last week and Andrew was "reading" to me and showing me pictures from a book he made.  (Here's where the Hansen Sundy Comics come in...)  He began to describe a picture of what looked to be a sideways rain drop with two circles on the top left mismatched in size.  He told me that this was a fish without fins, but he can swim without fins.  "Yep, mom, some fish CAN swim without fins.  They swim like this."  And he wiggles his whole body in his car seat like he was either being shocked by an electric eel or doing "the worm" (the dance move). 

"Mom, did you know that fish can come in different colors?" Andrew asks very teacher-like expecting me to say I did not know this.  Disappointing him, I said "Yes Andrew, I did know that fish are different colors."  "Well, did you know that God colored them that way?  Umm, no, no, no.  Sorry mom.  God didn't color them that way, God PAAAINTED them that way.  Did you know that mom? Huh?"  I couldn't help but chuckle because he was SO serious in his correction that God does not color.  Oh no, God paints - like all the big kids do these days.

I do like the idea of God "painting" things instead of coloring.  To me it means that God doesn't have to "stay in the lines" and make things neat and tidy the first go at it.  He can use big and small brush strokes as He needs to, and can go a little crazy sometimes to take what seems to be a mess and blend it into something beautiful.  He can continue to add to His painting long after the initial paint dries, which means the masterpiece never has to be finished until He is satisfied.

I thank God for the many brush strokes in my life, and the knowledge that He can continue to add different hues and layers onto the masterpiece He is creating in me and my family - until we are complete and stunning to His satisfaction. 

And thank you, God, for allowing me to see your grace, love and beauty on a daily basis through the eyes of a precious four-year old.