We're Poor and You're Fat

Ahhh, out of the mouths of babes.

I've heard both of these comments from my son.  Not at the same time, thankfully because I'm not sure how I would have handled that but still.

The first one sent me on a rant that lasted a fair little while and included things like, "you think WE'RE poor!?  You should see how people in other parts of Auckland live!  Should we take a drive there now?  Lock your door!"  And "do you have any idea how much we paid for this house? DO YOU?  Well, let me remind you! Do you think a POOR person could afford that?"  And, finished off with, "Think about all the things you have that make you rich in ways that MATTER.  Family, friends, a tree hut, a cat, skype, and best of all Jesus in your heart."  Gets him every time, that one.  NOTHING he can say to that because I'm right.

Yeah yeah yeah, there's always going to be things we want.  Always.  We are designed to never be satisfied.  I love this from C.S. Lewis:  "If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world."  Brilliant!  This is not my home forever.  Heaven is and I need to keep my perspective in that direction.  That's deep stuff for an 8 year old to get his head around but he'll get there.

You're fat.

It didn't exactly come out that way, he's not MEAN for heaven's sake!  I was saying to him something about how I love his little body and how, believe it or not, I looked that way when I was your age, too.  And do you know what he said with a beautiful angelic smile on his face?  Oh, then that means I'm going to look like you when I grow up... (as he looks me up and down).  I said what?  FAT?  And he said YES!!  Okay, okay, some would argue I led him into it but come on!  That hurt!

So I cried and then got a grip.  I am not fat.  But if this is his impression, that's a real shame.  He does not need to be concerned about being/getting fat, especially at his age but he is.  He worries about it and I need to keep that in check because that worries me.  I don't know where that's come from, either.  I could just broadly blame society but I don't want to leave it at that.  I need to narrow it down quite a bit more than that.  We certainly don't talk like that here at home.  He eats healthy. Exercises.  I'm just not sure.