Wounded and Tenderhearted

What a day....where to start.....

This is our memory verse for the week:

Be kind to eachother,
tenderhearted,

forgiving one another,

just as God through Christ has forgiven you

Ephesians 4:32

So yesterday in nursery when I introduced the verse to the kids....they struggled to know what tenderhearted meant. I tried my heardest to explain and give examples. I think they walked out with a practical meaning!! But since yesterday, I've been trying to figure out how to better explain it....how do you teach a 4-yr old compassion? I think it is to demonstrate it or point to examples when we see other demonstrating it.

Well back to today, Christopher has had a hard day.... he's compaining, not obeying, chasing his sisters with recorders and other long objects like swords, not listening and his blanket had to be washed..... too much for a 2.5 yr old to bear in one day!!!

Finally about 10:00am or so the kids disappeared into their bedrooms and played (AKA destroyed their rooms). But they played nicely with one another and were very content to let me tend the house without many interruptions.

Lunch passed without too much drama and we we're just tidying the kitchen and talking of what books to read before naptime when we heard it....... the END to our "perfectly planned" quiet and uneventful afternoon. BANG!!!! And then we heard the cries.....Christopher running as fast as he can with his head down (like a defensive football player) hit a corner of the wall . When we got to him (milli-seconds later) he had blood streaming down his face. In the kitchen he had blood all over his arms, face,etc.....

So this is where being tenderhearted comes in...... Anna was in the kitchen just watching as Brian and I tended to Christopher....holding cloths to his head, cleaning him up a bit, arranging schedules that would allow Brian to take him to the hospital (if he needed to go). I think seeing all the bloood made her worry even more, but she was just in tears as the boys climbed into the van. She was just soo worried about Christopher and that he was going to have to go to the doctor (something she dreads).

After they left and I got Lydia down for her nap, I was just struck with how tender Anna's little heart is, especially concerning her younger brother and sister. She was worried for him and wanted him to be well. I finally got her to smile a bit when I told her that Daddy had to go to the doctor as a boy and has a scar in his forehead from hitting a pole....

I'll try to get a picture of the "battle wound" this evening. For those interested the wall is fine....not even a dent.
And I'm guessing this will affect his swimming tomorrow with Grammie and Pey :(

*** 1st picture was from the mall playground on Thursday. 2nd picture was last night after church:)