As you know by now, I’m nine days into my pursuit of a graceful month leading up to Christmas. The measurables I have in place to weigh outcomes are extremely scientific:

-What is the state of my heart in this season, and what is the state of my heart on the other side of December?

-How do our children respond to Christmas this year?

-What types of conversations are we having as a family and with the people around us?

-Have I been intentional on a daily basis to further the true purpose of the upcoming holiday, while toning down the commercial and material sides of the Christmas coin?

With these in mind, I’m wrestling good things every day and facing important, hard conversations with myself and others. The impact of this effort to infuse our December days with a graceful slant is worthwhile, I think, even though I can’t yet see where we’ll be at the end of it.

Curious about how our kiddos are feeling as Christmas approaches, I asked Henry if we could talk for a bit after dinner tonight, and he obliged. I floated him a number of questions, the answers to which varied in humor, wisdom and emotion. I’m thankful for this barometer and little window into his mind, and I thought you might find a four year old’s perspective on current affairs somewhat helpful (maybe uplifting?), too. Here goes (my interjections are in parentheses):

Q: What do you think of when you hear the word Christmas?

Henry: Ummmm, Santa Claus. The Grinch. And celebrating Jesus’ birthday…

Q: What do you think of when you hear the word grace?

Henry: Grace babies. Do you know a baby that’s named Grace? That makes me think of her. What does grace mean?

Q: What is the best thing about Christmas to you (be honest)?

Henry: Um, Jesus’ birthday. (Why?) ‘Cause I think it’s the best part of Christmas ’cause celebrating Jesus’ birthday is important because Jesus is the most important thing in the whole world…on the whole planet!

Q: What would you tell another person who doesn’t know about Christmas yet?

Henry: That you celebrate Jesus’ birthday. (Is that all you know about Christmas?) No. I know you get presents and you decorate your Christmas trees and you celebrate Jesus…

Q: How do you feel, knowing that there are people who had to leave their homes because they were no longer safe there?

Henry: Sad, ’cause they’re refugees. And I don’t like how refugees don’t have safe homes. I wish they had safe homes.

Q: What should we do to help them?

Henry: Send them food and water. And toys, ’cause they don’t have toys. They lost their toys.

Q: What do you think about them coming here?

Henry: Good. But I hope they won’t bring any bad. Well, by…they might bring their bad with them. (What’s their bad?) Well…how their homes are not safe. Like that bad.

Q: Do you know what made their homes unsafe?

Henry: Um, danger and fighting.

Q: How do you think you would feel if you were a refugee?

Henry: Sad. (What would you be thinking about?) Danger. If we lived in danger. Like, fighting and stuff. Well, like it would get dangerous-er and danger and danger and danger and danger…like a ton of danger. (Would you be afraid?) Absolutely! (What would you be afraid of?) Tornadoes and stuff. That’s part of their danger.

Q: What do you think the hardest part of being a refugee would be?

Henry: Not having a safe home. And having to be wet in the water. Without our swim suits on.

Q: How do you think refugees are celebrating Christmas?

Henry: No. I do not think they’re celebrating Christmas. ‘Cause they don’t know about Jesus if they don’t have a safe place. (Do you think Jesus would give them a safe place if they knew about him?) Mmmhmmm. (Do you think Jesus knows about them?) Probably, ’cause he made everybody on the earth. (What do you think Jesus wants to do about it?) Help them. Save them. (How?) By like giving them good stuff from Heaven. Well, he takes some stuff in his hands from Heaven, and sends it down to the sea. Like the refugee rescue ships…This is hard for me…The things are good in heaven. (So you think Jesus wants to rescue people who need him?) Yes. (Why?) ‘Cause it’s good that he rescues us.

Photo credit: Embolden Studio

So there you have it. Real thoughts from a real little person who is obviously impacted by and processing this season and Jesus and the world along with the rest of us. I feel like I should note that we don’t have a T.V. at home, so Henry’s ideas about the refugee crisis aren’t based on a news reel running in the background of his day. He asks a lot of questions and hears every last word that’s floating around him, and we do our best to address things with him in an age appropriate, honest way. We definitely don’t get this right all of the time, so we’re regularly assessing what information is OK for him at this stage and what’s too much for a four year old. Tough stuff, isn’t it? Parents of grown/older children, tips are welcome 🙂

Turns out I prefer Henry’s approach to *at least* a handful of current presidential hopefuls, so maybe we should consider lowering the age requirement for the job? Kids hearts are the best.

Wishing you a string of graceful days as you process life and faith with the ones you love, too,

molly madonna