“Don’t fix your attention on visible things, but those that are hidden and everlasting." ~ 2 Cor 4:18
Kara enjoyed this part of her day
the most. She’d pick out a book, dim the
lights, then settle into her favorite armchair.
With Annie nuzzled eagerly in her lap, they opened tonight’s book to the
first of many smooth, colorful pages.
Like a thirsty sponge, Annie soaked up everything in her
youthful environment. Her creativity whirled
even during story time.
Kara introduced tonight’s wordless
picture book, “There’s A Mouse In The House” and watched her toddler’s fascination
build with each new story. Cuddling up
and winding down after an otherwise hectic day brought them both such joy.
Sharing wordless books with Annie provided an opportunity
for literacy-rich conversations. The
imagery in a picture book brought the pages to life, serving as a visual
roadmap for the story. The toddler would
study the pictures and create a story in her own words.
According to Annie, the book was about a poor mouse who’d
been abandoned by its furry parents and found itself alone in a large home. Angry and scared, the mouse escaped, finding
its way into the dark streets, where cats, dogs, and other dangers waited to hurt
him.
Eventually, the mouse was rescued by a kind girl who invited the
mouse to live with her family in a pretty home where she lived happily ever
after. Annie’s story seemed to fit the
pictures well, but her interpretation of them completely changed the story’s
meaning.
“Do you want to hear my version of the story?” Kara asked softly. Annie nodded.
According to Kara, the mouse lived comfortably in a house by herself. A little girl took good care of
him, but the mouse didn’t listen to the girl’s warnings about leaving the house.
He sneaked out one night.
Danger lurked everywhere - cats chased him and dogs barked at him. Soon the mouse found himself tired and hungry,
wishing he’d listened to the girl who’d fed and played with him. Fortunately, the girl who’d been looking for
him the whole time scooped him up and they returned home together safely.
“That’s a very different story, isn’t it, Annie?” Kara asked
as she finished the story. The sweet
child nodded before saying, “I like your story too, Mommy!”
It’s amazing how the same pictures could be interpreted so
very differently. When we look at life
through our own eyes, we only see what we’re living at that moment. We let the conditions around us dictate our
responses.
God looks at life differently. He doesn't judge people or success by the
world's standards. He judges by the
person's thoughts and intentions; by their character and their faith.
Almighty Father, help us see life through
Your lens: more willing to forgive, more eager to lend a helping hand, more
content knowing that our actions have eternal significance rather than just a
temporary change. Amen
