(This gorgeous image is from mreclipse.com...go there to read all about lunar eclipses :)Tonight I was telling the kids about the total lunar eclipse that happened just over an hour ago. Sadly the sky here was all clouded over so I wasn't able to watch it like I had hoped. Anyway, on the way home from playgroup I was explaining what an eclipse was and how I was going to watch it. The older two were amazed by the concept and wished they would be awake to watch it...then proceeded to calculate how old they would be when the next one occured and whether they may be able to stay up late enough to watch it that year (2010 apparently).
Lyric on the other hand was terrified at the idea of a "klippers". When I realized she was frightened about it I tried to explain it in kid friendly terms: how we love to make shadows on a sunny day and chase our shadows, wave to them etc. I told her the earth was making a shadow on the moon. This didn't help.
While I was getting her ready for bed she kept asking when the "klippers" was going to happen and asking if I could sleep with her, she was really nervous. I thought and thought about how I could explain this so she wouldn't be afraid. I had kept telling her it wasn't anything to be afraid of, that the moon would just get dark, but she was really worried.
Finally when I was tucking her in and kissing her goodnight she asked again about it in a frightened little voice. So I said:
"Do you know who makes a lunar eclipse?"
She was obviously thinking hard about this question and looked confused,
"Who do you think makes it so that a lunar eclipse can happen?" I asked again
Again she looked confused, so I went on to say:
"Who's got the whole world in His hands?"
She thought for a moment and then her demeaner changed completely as her face broke out in a big grin,
"God" she said laughing excitedly
"That's right sweetie" I said, "God makes the lunar eclipse, so we don't have to be afraid right?"
"Right" she answered, all her fears erased as she snuggled down into the covers and popped her thumb into her mouth. "Goodnight Mommy" she said
Ahhh, peace at last :) Thank you Lord.
Melanie
ps: here's hoping for a clear night in 2010 when it happens again. I would really love to see it
3 comments:
Beautiful - in a number of ways: the eclipse (which I too wanted to see. I walked under the full moon earlier in the evening, but then the clouds obscured the eclipse); your relationship with your kids; and Lyric's trust in God.
Tim
So sweet, I love it! Dad and I went out on the porch and saw the begining of it around 9:15. The moon was very bright, and I should have taken a picture. We didn't stay out long because it was so cold out! It's amazing how interested the kids are in that kind of stuff, you did a great job explaining it!
Mom
don't mean to brag, mel but we got to see all of it...it was pretty cool...we actually had no idea it was happening until we came out of this show we were at and everyone was looking in the sky. i had never seen one before...loved your explanation to the kids!
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