Telling Stories

This kid can tell some stories.

There are the common ones like, "I used to be a ______" ... fill in the blank with whatever we happen to be reading about, talking about, or seeing on the side of the road. Fireman, construction worker, pilot, etc.

There are the ones that part of me wants to discourage, but I think are just part of being a boy. They usually involve some kind of weapon or fighting or body part being sliced off. I mostly redirect without overreacting. I think it's pretty amazing how boys just know these things and think they are cool. I have to laugh at how Mr. Mister's favorite character in the David and Goliath story is Goliath.

I try to tell him that's not the point of the story. We're supposed to see how God delivers His people from a great enemy by the hands of an unsuspected hero. That He can use anyone and that we can do great things when we trust Him and are willing to step out in faith. But no, Mr. Mister thinks being a giant soldier is really cool. And really, that doesn't concern me much right now. He's a 3 year old boy with a grand imagination.

And then there are the stories he makes up. Like the other day when I started telling him a story about making sand castles on the beach and whatever we made came to life (I'm not that creative...I got it from this great children's book called Chalk). He took over with the rest of the story...

"Then we made a sand castle that looked like a car seat. And it came alive and became a boat that I sailed out into the ocean. And I found a baby dolphin who had lost his mommy. So I helped him find his mommy and she said, 'Thank you for helping me find my baby.' Then I sailed back to the beach and everyone there cheered for me. I was a hero. And I wore a crown. And they said, 'Mr. Mister, you're the coolest!' "

I just loved this story. I love his imagination. Every common thing we see instantly turns into something adventurous. This is such a fun stage and I try so hard to encourage his creativity so that he never gives up on imagining.