I Made a Couple Bodies

Given that Lacy thought her angel cousin was residing in Heavenly Father’s belly, we decided that our Family Home Evening lesson last night should be about bodies and spirits.  When I was younger, my mom taught me the difference between a body and a spirit by using a glove and her hand.  Her hand represented a spirit.  The glove represented a body.

A few weeks ago, I explained the difference between the two to a Sunday School class of teenagers.  I told them a body is like a car -a spirit is like the driver of that car.  In general, the driver controls the car.  It guides it and directs it.  However, sometimes a driver relinquishes control of the car and lets the car take over.  Nothing good ever comes of that…

I knew that no matter what was taught, my daughter wouldn’t be able to grasp everything.  I knew my son wouldn’t either, but I knew it needed to be taught anyway.  I decided to go with my mother’s teaching plan, but instead of using a glove I used some homemade hand puppets.

Er, ahem… bodies.

These are bodies.  They have no spirits.  Also, no maker of puppets am I.  Give me props for trying.  And ignore the “hair” on the boy puppet.  Try as I might (and did) I couldn’t get it right.The kids loved them.

I held the puppets up and explained that they were bodies.  I told the kids that the bodies couldn’t do anything without their spirits -they were just empty shells.  Then I held my hand up in the air and wiggled it, telling them that my hand represented a spirit.  I then put the “spirit” into the “body” and showed them that the arms and head could now move.  I even made them talk, but we’ll not go into that.

After a while, I took the spirit out of the body.  I put the body down and tried to explain to them THAT’S what happened to Laynee Leigh.  Her spirit left her body.  Her body was put in a safe place in the ground and her spirit went up to live with Heavenly Father in Heaven.

Again, I don’t know if she learned anything.  I don’t know if my son learned anything.

My parents and little brother were here for Family Home Evening on account of Lacy requesting that grandpa play Candyland with her.  Grandpa gave Candyland to Lacy for her birthday, and yesterday we went and bought another Candyland to play with because Lacy loved her first Candyland so much that she played constantly with it and spilled juice on the board (warping it) and stuck playdough on it (never again to come off).

Candyland, it must be noted, is a special game in our family.  We played a lot of it growing up.  My Dad, when he gave it to Lacy, told her he would play it with her, remarking that he played it with his kids and how much he enjoyed it.

I’ve played Candyland with her many, many times since her birthday.  And you know what?  I love it!  It’s so much fun to see the way she reacts to every card she draws, even if it sets her back.  She doesn’t care a lick about winning -only playing.  That’s what makes it so fun.

There wasn’t enough gingerbread men for my husband and I to play, so we took pictures instead.  (Notice the body on the piano.  Gory.)

This picture is my favorite.  It showcases something I love most about my Dad.  He has an enthusiasm for childhood.Even when he’s completely worn out after a long day, he can still muster a game of Candyland and EVEN be EXCITED about it.  He’s always been that way.  As a kid, I remember waiting for him to come home from work.  I’d cabbage onto our copy of “Green Eggs and Ham” and wait for Dad to walk through the door. He always took time to read AND do all the voices.

That Sam I Am, that Sam I Am…

Which reminds me: don’t let me forget to buy this book.  My family needs it.  I’m pretty sure the world needs it, actually.