Daddy, Will You Keep Me Company

The other night after he went to bed, Ben was sad for some reason. When I went to talk to him he told me that he wanted me to keep him company. We talked for a couple minutes and I told him that I couldn't right now but that God would always keep him company. I told him that God would love to talk to him.

"Why?"

"Because he loves you very much." I answered.

"Why?"

"He made you. He put you all together in mama's belly."

"Why?" (Can you tell he's almost 3?)

It was time to end the why questions, so I asked Ben a question of my own: "What do you think you could tell God about?"

"Ernie and my green blanket."

"Do you think he'd like to hear about Victoria coming to babysit you?"

"Ya!"

"Ok," I said, "I'll be back in a few minutes. While I'm gone, you can talk with God and he'll keep you company.

I came back later and heard Ben talking. I couldn't understand it, so I went in to see what he was doing. I lay down next him in his bed and asked him what he had been talking to God about.

He said, "Ernie, my green blanket, Victoria babysitting me. And the birdies!"
So Ben proceeded to tell me all about his birdhouse that is hanging from his ceiling.

"The bird in our house. The one that's downstairs... when he flies upstairs... and then flies into my room... he can fly into my birdhouse. I painted that birdhouse green... and red... and pink... and purple! I painted it at Ocean's house."

So we talked about Ben's birdhouse for awhile and then it was time for me to leave again. He started to get sad so I reminded him that God would keep him company.

He said," 'cause God made me, and Kyle and mommy and you and Kyle and me..." not knowing quite where to end the list.

"You're right Ben. And don't forget, when I'm not here to keep you company, God will always be here, so you can talk to Him."