gospel over ice cream for dinner

His sister hopped down from the table to leave her cup of ice cream to me (we were sharing) so she could wonder off toward the play place at Chick-fil-A all by herself.  It was an ice cream for dinner kind of day.  We don't have them often.  In fact it was only the second time.  But I have decided with some encouragement from a friend that it is good to throw nutrition out the window every once in a while and embrace junk.  As she walked away from our table in the quiet restaurant, her now four year old brother jumped from his own seat without being asked and said, "I'll help you open the door."  The clock said something that started with a four and there were only two tables that had people sitting in them near us.  Noticably two teenage brothers having an early dinner behind us.  This is the conversation (to the best of my memory five hours later) that followed.

me: I'm so proud of you [Brother].  It pleases God when you help your sister.

He stood in the doorway and preceded to instruct his sister on how to play in the empty play area.

him to her: Climb up there [pointing to the top] and take off your socks and boots and put them in the cubby.

She followed his instructions and then stood at the glass and pressed her mouth against the clear wall for a few minutes.  Meanwhile Brother came wandering back to the table where I sat across from his melting ice cream cone.

me: Thank you for helping your sister, [Brother].  It makes God so happy when you think of others. 

him: (smiling)

me: Do you miss your Daddy [who is out of town for work]?

him: Yes.

me: Me too.

him: What do you miss about him?

me: I miss his hugs.

him: And his kisses?

me: Yep.

him: Mommy you can't do bad things and scream at Daddy.

me: You're right. (gulp)  Sometimes Mommy disobeys God too so what do I have to do?

him: (I forget what he said here)

me: I have to make it right with God and Daddy.  I have to say I'm sorry and ask for forgiveness and choose to please God with my words and actions the next time.  Believe it or not your Mommy isn't perfect.  Do you know who is?

him: God!

me: That's right.  Jesus lived a perfect life.  He never sinned or disobeyed God.  And because he lives in our hearts, when God looks at us he sees Jesus.  Isn't that amazing?!

him: And Jesus died on the cross to save us.

me:  That's right.  So the very least we can do is bring him glory by pleasing him with our words and actions.  Just like you did helping your sister. 

him (poking his finger in the bottom of his ice cream cone): Mom, the bottom of the cone is squishy.

Melted ice cream began to drip from the bottom.  Memories of a scoop of Thrifty ice cream rushed over me.  He handed it off to me and declared he was done while jumping down to join his sister in the empty play area.

Just my two kids in that cold smelly space behind a glass wall joyfully playing together.  Climbing to the top of the structure side by side talking all the way.  Brother would slide down the curly tube slide first usually in some purposely awkward position and holler something up to his sister.  Moments later her tiny body came launching down at full speed backwards and crash into her brother sitting at the bottom.  He burst into laughter and I did too.  Her hair stood on end from the static electricity generated.  They repeated this several more times and after each collision he would turn and look through the window at me and watch me laugh too while giving him a thumbs up.

Not a care in the world.

Not a single fear or burden.

I am overwhelmed by His love for me.