Elijah's Best Friend

We had a thrilling day at our house yesterday with Elijah. In the midst of our science discussion about creation vs. evolution, Eli decided that he wanted to ask Jesus to be his best friend! This moment has been coming for a time now, but we've been waiting for Elijah to initiate it. Our conversation went something like this...

Mama: (read from Christian Kids Explore Biology by Stephanie Redmond) "When looking at our world, many of us want to know how it came into being. Did it get here by accident or was there a Creator? What a person believes about the beginning of the earth has a lot to do with how he interprets the things he reads and learns about biology.

Many people, called evolutionists, believe the world was formed by accident. They often claim that a big explosion took place in outer space, forming our Earth and solar system. This is commonly referred to as the big bang theory. Evolutionists believe that life began with very simple cells that evolved, or changed, over billions of years, eventually becoming the plants and animals we see today...

...People who believe that God created the world are called creationists.. These people look at the world and see order and design and do not believe these things could have happened accidentally."

Elijah: "I am a creationist!"

Mama: "You are?! Mama and Daddy are creationists, too. What does a creationist believe?"

Elijah: "I know that God created the world. It says so in the Bible! So I'm a creationist!"

Mama: "Why do you think God created the world?"

Elijah: "So we could talk to him and obey him."

Mama: "That's right! We were created to love and honor God and bring him glory. But, we have to make a choice if we are going to love Jesus with all hearts and ask him to be our best friend. If we do that, then we are bringing God the best happiness ever! We need to tell him that we love him and ask him to take away all the sin and black in our hearts."

Elijah: "That's why Jesus died on the cross...to take away our sins and make my heart white. But after three days, he rose from the grave." (said while rising with drama and hand motions)

Mama: "That's the best part...Jesus isn't dead anymore! He is alive in heaven making a home for everyone who loves and obeys him and wants him to be their best friend. Do you want to ask Jesus to be your best friend? Do you want to obey and always do your best for him?"

Elijah: "Yeah!"

Mama: "Do you want to pray to Jesus right now and tell him that you love him and want him to be your best friend?"

Elijah: "Okay...Dear Jesus, I love you and want you to be my best friend. Take the sin from my heart and make it white. I love you. But I don't want to go to heaven. Dear Jesus, Amen."(said while starting to cry)

Mama: "What's wrong?"

Elijah: "I want Jesus to be my best friend, but I don't want to go to heaven until I'm a grown up."

Mama: "Nobody knows when they will go to heaven, only God knows. But you are a strong, healthy boy, so let's try not to worry about that now. I love you, Elijah! You have just made the most important decision in your life! I am so happy for you!"

Lots of hugs and kisses were shared then we called Daddy at work to share Eli's great news. Despite all the other good things in our day, this takes the cake!

Building relationships with my boys...being there to discuss creation as truth...being able to bring schoolwork and discussions back to the foundation of our lives, our Savior Jesus Christ...incorporating our faith into every detail of our day...sensing those teachable and life-changing moments...CAPTURING the conversation to bring glory and honor to God!

This is part of why we homeschool...