The other morning Thomas tumbled down the front steps at my friend’s house, scraping his chin, lip, and nose, and he had an impressive splash of blood across his face to initiate him officially into boyhood. Ruthie was extremely helpful during this fiasco, running back up to the front door just like I asked her to, knocking, and getting something from my friend to clean his face. She was very cooperative and concerned, which impressed me, because when she is in an obstinate mood it is just these kinds of moments I imagine will be a disaster: me comforting one bloody child while the other runs screaming into the middle of the street.
It proved my theory that Ruthie is capable of following directions.
In the car on the way home, Ruthie – who had been obsessing over her need to have candy all morning – says to me, “But MOM! Jesus says in our heart that we should have a treat because I was a great helper!”
I like that, appealing to Jesus as her intercessor. Even if her works-based theology needs a little tweaking, at least she’s getting it on some level!