Bethel, was pushing your brother kind?
No.
Was pushing your brother glorifying God?
[brightly] Yes.
No. It does not glorify God when we are unkind. What should you say to your brother?
Yes, ma’am.
No, what should you say when you are unkind?
Please stop.
No. You should say, “Please forgive me for being unkind.”
Forgive me for being unkind.
I was glad to be able to use your converstaion with Bethel today with Ella Grace. You’re great at asking questions for answers. I need to work on that.
Michelle, forgive me, but I had to laugh at this conversation with Bethel–it reminded me too much of a similar conversation I had with John at around the same age:
(John burps at the table.) “John, what do you need to say?”
(John, brightly, right on cue) “Thank you!”
(Lyn wondering whether to laugh or bang her head against the wall.) “No, John, we say thank you for a nice meal. After we burp we say ‘excuse me.’ John, say, ‘excuse me.'”
(John) “Excuse me.”
Lyn–
I thought the conversation with Bethel was hilarious, too. Your experience with John sounds exactly the same– a little one racking his brain through all the “correct responses” that we give them, in blind hope that the one he picks is the right answer.
Kelly–
I need work on the questions too! Often I feel like my questions sound stilted or too pushy (particularly with David, who resists such tactics). Bethel is fun because I can (must) be direct. Just my style!