Is it broken?

If you have ever spent any significant amount of time with young boys, then you know that you need to always have a first-aid kit on hand at all times. No joke. In fact, I carry a pouch in my purse that has a fix for nearly every potential disaster - headaches, stomach aches, falls, cuts, scrapes, burns, hangnails, allergic reactions, etc. Because, lets face it - the craziest things happen at the most unlikely times. You know, like when a boy trips and falls coming out of a clothes display at Target because he was startled that you were screaming his name so loudly inside the store. Bandage, please. 

When I hear a thud or a scream (and after I cringe and ask "what happened?"), I have learned from Tina that there are certain questions that I need to ask. Now, pay attention because these are important. They are: 

1. Are you bleeding?

2. Is it broken? Do you have any bones sticking out?

3. Are you dead? 

If the answer is no,

THEN YOU ARE FINE!

With the exception of one incident (a story for another day), this has worked well for us. The boys -- all 3 of them -- know the routine when there is an injury. Otherwise, they'd have us at the ER for all their bumps and bruises. Boys. Sigh. 

So, the funniest thing happened recently. AJ (the 10yr old) had a stomach ache at school so I had picked him up early. When we went back after school to pick Damian up, here is how the conversation went, as heard from the front seat: 

Damian: AJ, what happened? Why did you leave school early? 

AJ: I had a stomach ache so Michelle picked me up from the nurse.

Damian: AJ, you know you aren't allowed to go to the nurse unless you are bleeding, something is broken, or you are dead.

I sat there, looking forward at the road, and chuckled to myself at hearing this interaction. I am learning that some of the most insignificant things we say have such a lasting impact on kids. That's why we have to be sure to mix a lot of love into all the words you spill out - because kids ingest every bit of it. ❤❤❤❤❤

He was absolutely right.

Oh, Damian....he is 7 years old, cute (and he knows it), and more wise than you would ever imagine. 

He is smart. He can memorize spelling words almost instantaneously. He absorbs everything he reads (when I can get him to read). And, he blows through his math problems before I can finish reading the directions. 

He is also very hip. He says things that make you chuckle because you just couldn't imagine a 7 year old saying them. He also giggles, sings, dances, loves musicals, art projects, and being the center of attention. 

Damian is an all-around cool kid.

Damian also has a heart of gold and loves God. There are times when he begins talking -- and we just feel like we are talking to an old soul. He will talk about long, lost relatives that have died years and years before he was even born. He will ramble on about heaven and Jesus and how he wants to go there one day, but he isn't ready yet. And then things like this happen...

Every weekday, we have dinner ready so that when Tina walks in the door from work we can all dig in. Without fail, Damian will ask, "So, TT, how was your day at work? Tell me all about it and leave out no details." Tina normally will just tell him it was a good day, or it was busy, etc. However, last night when prompted, Tina answered, "Actually, Damian, it was a really boring day."

The look on Damian's face let you know something was churning in his mind. He looked confused, as if he either didn't know what a boring day at work was like or ... he couldn't understand why she answered the way she did.

And then we got schooled: 

"God created jobs. He created the construction workers to build. And he created bosses for jobs and  people for the jobs. So, if you are saying you had a boring day at work, you are bring rude... to God. Because God gave you that job." 

Sitting on the outside of the conversation, part of me wanted to laugh out loud and say something along the line of, "well he just told you!" But, the warmer part of me loved watching Tina's face in amazement. She stared at him for a moment, as if lost for words. Then, she said, "You are absolutely right, Damian. I am thankful that I have a job and I appreciate it."

Sometimes I am blown away by his wisdom. I often feel like he understands some things in life better than we do and, at times, teaches us, too. This just goes to show you that God uses everyone of us -- even packing his messages into the hearts of the little ones.