The Church's Candles

          "Mommy, they sound like candles," Boone said as he listened to the choir on Sunday morning. "Candles?" I asked not sure if I heard him right.
     "Yes, mommy, candles. Their singing goes up and down like the fire" he said.
"You mean like the flame of a candle?" I asked and he nodded yes excited that I finally understood what he meant.
      "Why is she wearing all black?" he asked.
I was relieved I could answer that one easily, "she must like the outfit. Mommy is wearing black, it is a nice color." He continued his observations with the conductor moving her hands up and down was like she was putting out the candles then bringing them back to life.
      "She controls the candles," was his conclusion. And it was then I saw church through five year old eyes.
           We sat in the balcony on Sunday because that's where my kids like to sit. Boone went on to ask about the microphones that hang from the ceiling, the flowers on the stage, why the minister wore a black robe did he and the music lady plan that... who killed Jesus, "Didn't they know what they were doing?" And then he saw the baptismal. "That's where you get dunked," he said.
"That is where you are baptized," I corrected.
      "What is that exactly?" he asked and I explained it was a public declaration of bringing Jesus into your heart. "I want to do that," he said when I am like 7 or 8 which seems forever in his mind.
I asked "why wait" and he said He could fit better in an bigger heart, "He needs enough room to fit".

I did not learn any great life lesson in those moments but I came away with a fun memory. Boone is not the easiest kid to raise but despite our not so spectacular moments that morning I felt some assurance that it would all be okay.