A Tree?

Tonight at Church, Anna was sitting on my lap while I ran the overhead projector. The background to our lyric slides is a big cross. (The default background to Open Song, for anyone who is familiar with the program.)

As she sat on my lap, she pointed to the computer screen and said, "What's that?"

"That?" I answered. "That's a cross."

"Is it a tree?"

"No, Anna, it's a cross."

"A tree?"

"No, a cross. Jesus died on the cross." I paused for a moment here, hoping that would kick her memory into gear, perhaps even paving the way for a deep, theological discussion, three-year-old style.

She paused too, thereby igniting my hope that she was pondering the deeper meaning of the cross. Then:

"It's a tree?"

Hope thwarted.

"No, Anna, just a cross."

"Can you get a tree?"

"Nope, can't get a tree, sorry."

"Ok, Mommy."

At this, she slid down my lap and ran out to the sanctuary to worship with her father...or maybe to see if she could con a tree out of him, for all I know. (All she has to do is bat her big blue eyes at her daddy and say "I wuv you, Daddy!" and he will pretty much do whatever she wants. If I ever come home to a pony tied up in the front yard, this will be the reason.)

So, no deep heart-to-heart with Mommy tonight. Maybe next week we can talk about bushes. Perhaps that will lead to something more....Moses and the burning bush, anyone?