Job. Less.

A few Sunday musings:

1. Around six months ago, Harper started going to Sunday school for the first time. She learned about Job and was deeply troubled. She had not mentioned it again until today, when she made up this little story, which I transcribed:

Once upon a time there were three little ants. And one morning their house was gone. And then one morning their things were gone. And then they saw the biggest workman shoveling up all the dirt. And the workmen said, “Hm, are those fire ants?” And then the ants ran away and found a new home. The End.

2. She also, after enjoying and singing along with our new cd (thanks Swanks!) based on The Catechism for Young People, asked me if she is going to die someday. She specifically wondered if her bones would die, or if they would be alive like the dinosaur bones in the museum. Remember that post when I wrote about how much I like babies? One of the main reasons, I'm realizing, is that babies will not ask you to explain Job. Or dying. Or why lions eat zebras, which she noticed for the first time in a very food chain-y part of the African display at the museum this week.

3. This morning at church the pastor and his wife did the Scripture reading together and his wife stumbled over several words, which I thought was appropriate. There is not much in Ephesians 5 that is easy, especially not the part about marriage. Speaking of hard texts dealing with marriage, I speak from personal experience when I admonish you to never, never, ever offer to read any part of Romans 7 aloud in any kind of group setting. Even the most somber among us will inevitably get an irrepressible case of the giggles trying to read all of those "do-do's" in verses 14-20.

4. Helena Jane finally has a tooth! It is on the upper left and it is cute and tiny.

5. Actual conversation I had with Harper, thus proving that living in close proximity with a lawyer is, indeed, infectious:

me: Harper, do your pants go on the riding room floor? (the kids call it "the riding room"
because it's where they ride their bikes)

Harper: They are actually leggings.

me: Hm. Well, then do your leggings go on the riding room floor?

Harper: It's actually the table room.

She would rather get into some sort of a debate about the ambiguity of my terminology than just pick up her clothes. Exhausting.

6. I am off to watch the second part of a new version of "Emma" on Masterpiece Theatre. Jane Austen meant for her to be her most unlikable heroine. She is my favorite.