The story of the Crucifixion

This is too good not to share.

The kids each get to choose a book at night.  Unless it’s a really long story, in which case we either skip through the story really quickly and often get caught out or read only one story.  But I digress.

Tonight there was, in order, Scaredy-cat Splat (Daniel), the Children’s Bible (Isabel) and Pigwitchery (Mignon).  An eclectic mix to start off with, but hey.

I finish off the first book and brace myself for the inevitable choice of Bible story: The story of the Crucifixion. Since we told and read them the whole story of Easter (at Easter, 5 months ago) they have had a rather morbid fascination with the whole thing.  This is fine, but I was kinda hoping we could start thinking about the happy story of Christmas by now. Alas.

Tonight’s conversation went as follows:

• Isabel: I want the story with Jesus and the crown.
• Me: The story of how Jesus died on the cross?
• I: Yes
• Mignon: Why did Jesus die on the cross?
• Me: Because he died for our sins. (cringing a little, knowing that I haven’t exactly been living on the doorstep of our local NG Church)
• M: But why did he die?
• Me: Because he died for all our sins.
• M: But why did he have to die?
• Me: Because his Daddy said so. (I know, shoot me now)
• Daniel: And then came the clouds.
• Me: “confused face” You mean then we went up to heaven?
• D: But first the angels came to fetch him.
• Me: Er. Yes.
• I: Mom, can we get the movie?
• Me: (trying to wangle my way out of an inevitable purchase) I’m not sure there is a movie of the crucifixion.
• All 3 kids: Oh yes!  There is!
• I: We saw it at school!
• M: Why does Jesus have blood on his hands?
• Me: (really, really reluctantly, already worried about nightmares) Because that’s where the nails went in when they crucified Jesus.
• Little silence.
• M: That’s really sad.
• Me: Yes.  That was really sad.

And then we moved on to Pigwitchery.  Swiftly.