As Elijah has encountered school-age kids, his interest in Pokemon (and other such characters) has been kindled regularly. It started back in June really. We tested the waters for a while, bought him a few Pokemon cards (after his continuous begging), and let others give him some as gifts. He had a collection of 25 or so cards, and was continuously asking for more and more. We noticed increasingly that the way our boys played with the cards together was not constructive. It seemed to foster arguments among them more than any other toy they played with. After one particularly argumentative afternoon, we put the cards on top of the refrigerator where they have stayed for the past 3 months. I'm not completely anti-Pokemon or anything; it just seemed like now was not the right time for them to be playing with them together.
Elijah will regularly come home from school and tell us about the new cards that his friends have gotten, and for a while, he kept asking for more himself. One afternoon a few weeks ago I said to him, "You know, having more things doesn't really make you happy. You would get a few cards and then just want more and more. God wants us to be content with what we have." I assumed that my words went right over his head because his pouting continued.
But the requests for stuff have gradually subsided. He still mentions "Matthew's" cards at times, but he's less adamant about asking for them, and really just tells me about how cool someone else's are.
Skip to this morning. I'm making breakfast in the kitchen and he comes out and says, "Mommy, I don't think I really want any Pokemon cards anymore."
Me: (shocked) Really? Why not?
E: I don't think God would want me to have more.
Me: Hmmm, why do you think that?
E: Cause like Matthew, every time he gets other ones, he just wants more and more and more... and he already has like 200.
Me: And God wouldn't like that?
E: Nope, I think God is just looking down at him like, (E. crosses his arms and shakes his head back and forth with a disappointed but not angry look on his face.)
And he runs off to continue playing with his brothers. Growing up! Amazing!
2 comments:
AHHH - The words to resonate! Isn't that encouraging?!?!? What a wise and teachable son you have! He's GREAT!
Amazing really. I think God gives me these moments because He can tell when I start to believe that no one is hearing a word I say. It always comes just in time.
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