This is the picture my sweet daughter Juliette created for our church’s mission calendar contest. This relates to the post below. I’m so proud of her.
Mercy, there was great and grace was free!
–At Calvary
Today, my 11-year-old worked on her entry for the church missions calendar contest. she drew a little boy from Africa and then asked what I thought she should put in the top right-hand corner. I say, “Why don’t you draw a picture of Calvary?”
“Calvary? What’s that?”
“Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, where Jesus died?”
“Oh, she says. I thought it was where they keep cattle.”
I pause for a very a long time, and then I say,
“No, that would be a livery.”
And this is exactly why we should sing more hymns at church because when you grow up singing hymns from the old Nazarene hymnal, trust me, you know Calvary.
I sang the hymn, at Calvary, every Wednesday night for at least 15 years. when we weren’t singing that, we were singing Lead me to Calvary or Burdens Are Lifted At Calvary.
I traveled to virtual Calvary 10,000 times as a child, and today, my daughter thinks Calvary is a livery stable.
I am a complete and utter failure. (OK, so maybe that’s being too harsh with myself. but, a livery stable? Really.) The church; eight years of Christian schooling; 11 years of days – we’ve prayed every one. The baby dedication; the baptism; communion upon communion. But, she doesn’t know Calvary means. Is this all on me? =(
so Jen I had a day with my mum on thursday and asked her if she knew what Calvary was – she did … so all is not lost 🙂 for a long time the church was v important to her – methodist then uniting. I asked her if she knew of your church but no – would there be any in Aust – it is interesting eh the evolution of religion … hugs le xoxo
@wildbillyelliott – Thanks for the comment. I was writing back to neill basically the same thing – when I got interrupted. I enjoy the Gospel songs by the people that I know walked through hell and lived to tell about it – these would include Cash, Willie Nelson, and unbelievably, (in my opinion) Amy Grant.
Wow, I can’t believe you posted this YOUTUBE video, because I just listened to it this week! I have always loved this song; Kris Kristofferson has such a songwriting gift, and Johnny Cash did such a great job singing it. His voice resonates the truth in the lyrics, and he makes them his own. Kristofferson’s rendition is much less inspiring, but I tend to give props to the songwriter and try to listen closer to his delivery because the words came from his heart. Can you imagine the place his heart had to be to let these words flow from his pen?
Thanks for the compliment, but I feel unworthy of the comparison. Johnny Cash is such a legend and one of my personal heros. His life was filled with so much violence and addiction and craziness, but still, he yielded to the Spirit and went onto his reward with such a beautiful testimony and legacy of love and forgiveness on his lips and in his heart. I will always love this song; it holds a very special place in my heart as well. We are all so unworthy.
Don’t worry about your kid. Weather it’s Calvary or Cavalry, the important thing is that NOW she understands the distinction. Maybe that’s why God in his infinite Grace gave us a sense of humor, so we can reference funny things in our memories as it relates to important things in our salvation. Great post.
@lin – i was also thinking about how i mixed up calgary and calgon in the mix. hahahahaha.
@neill – o, u – my bro b fast friends. yes, i love the part where he strains on the higher notes. that’s the tearing it up part.
ha! that’s probably my favorite song to play on the guitar. although i don’t really “tear it up” but the notes do hit the strong side of my limited vocal range.
@naomi- yes, so true. that is most important of all – the concepts.
@le – i am laughing my butt off right now. cavalry! that’s what i thought calvary was as a kid – a stampede of horses. u so put this into perspective for me. hahahahahahah.
Jen your girl understands so much – love, compassion, suffering, joy, sorrow and the 10 000 rest. I know this concept would be important to you but to darling J it is just another ‘word’ to confuse with the 100 000s of others she knows …
jeez when I first read it I thought you were telling her to draw the caverlry (?) you know men on horses ….. opps !! 🙂 le xoxo
This is one of those moments you will carry with you forever! Remember the old song, “Everybody Ought to Know who Jesus Is”? Cat sang “Everybody’s got a NOSE ’cause Jesus does”….HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Precious.
Oh, I wouldn’t judge yourself harshly. She’s pretty young to make sense of all the exposure. Even I didn’t figure out much of what I learned until I was in my late 20’s…then it dawned on me how much I really knew and understood. Be patient — I think your daughter probably understands the concepts more than the terms right now — isn’t that important, too?