The Things that Come out of Their Mouths

Having young children means the conversation around the dinner table is usually boisterous, loud, and--to say the least--rather unpredictable.  We just never know what they're going to say!  Like tonight, for example...

Jeff was reading from the Bible before we started eating, as is his custom; and these days he's reading from the book of Acts.  This evening, he picked up where he had left off the last time, and it just so happened to be chapter 15 about the council at Jerusalem that discussed which of the Jewish laws the Gentile converts would need to be accountable for.  Jeff read verse 5:  "Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, 'The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses'."  Before he had even had time to draw a breath and say another word, David loudly blurted out, "I hate that rule!"  :)

Laughter all around.  So much laughter, in fact, that it took Jeff a minute to recover his composure so that he could continue reading.  :)

Later on in the passage, when we heard how the apostles and elders decided to not include circumcision in the requirements for Gentile converts, David pumped his fists jubilantly in the air.  Oh, that boy!  He makes me laugh.  :)

He's not the only one though.  Another laugh was provided this evening by dear, sweet Tobin who, while I was helping him clean his hands after supper, pointed to a small brown spot on his hand and said, "Look, Mom!  I have a nipple!"  

My face broke into a smile, but I tried to suppress my laughter a little so as to not hurt his feelings.  "Well, Tobin," I began, "you're right that you have nipples--in fact, you have two on your body.  But this is not one of them."  :)  

I believe the word he was searching for was "freckle."  ;-)

Meanwhile, nature is putting on a splendid show outside the walls of our house.  Fall is a glorious season here in the Shenandoah Valley, and I savor the sight of such dramatic color appearing where formerly there was only green.

 From the living room, I look northwest and see the neighbors' flashy orange-leaved tree rising above our maples.  The orange comes first, and I thoroughly enjoy it.  Then when its branches are bare, our maples hit their peak of beautiful crimson splendor.

How lovely that not all of the trees change color at the same time!