I have a big, classic farmhouse style dollhouse that my mother lovingly constructed from a kit while I went on my first big trip sans parents. While my grandmother took me on an Amtrak tour of the United States for a couple weeks, my mother wept and shingled the dollhouse with tiny cedar shingles. Today, the dollhouse retains a prominent place in an upstairs den, and remains fully furnished with such niceties as a tiny claw foot bathtub, a grand piano, a family of dolls (some who look like they've gone through chemo since their hair fell out), two fist-sized styrofoam skulls, and a large plastic Jesus Christ action figure.
This evening we had company, company who came with two boys, ages twelve and five. At one point our youngest guest, his mother, and my mother disappeared upstairs, and young Max discovered the dollhouse and greatly enjoyed its odd furnishings and cast of inhabitants. Upon meeting the holiest inhabitant of the house, Jesus H. Christ himself, apparently he held the action figure critically and considered it for a moment, exclaiming "Hey! I KNOW this guy!" When asked who "this guy" was, he said, "I forget his name, but I think he's the one who hangs out with those twelve men."
You can have Family Circus and Precious Moments-- it's totally the kids who are a little confused about religion who are the cutest and say the funniest things. Such as in my mom's other famous story from an online message board years ago, where a kid raised in a nonreligious household started going to church. His friends all went to church, living in a small Southern town and all, and he wanted to go too. He started going apparently around Christmas, and heard all about how the baby Jesus was born. Baby Jesus this, Baby Jesus that, you know the story. Cue Easter and suddenly it's "Jesus died for your sins" and crucifixions up the wazoo. The punch line is the kid coming home from church very upset, and upon prompting to explain his emotional state he cried out "MOM! They're going to KILL the BABY JESUS!"
I guess they skipped that whole aging 30 years thing in Sunday School.
Anyhoo, thought I'd share a few prime moments from the minds and mouths of kids.
I have to share something I've been told that I said around the age of 5...
On the way to church one Sunday morning there was a dead animal on the road. Either I asked what it was or was told that it was an oppossum. Later in Sunday school that morning, the teacher asked the class if we knew what an apostle was. I eagerly raised my hand and said," I know! I know! I saw one dead on the road this morning!". I've been told the teacher was pretty much worthless for the rest of the class.