Note to parents
This story for young children can help you remind your children that God is good all the time. He helps us before we know that we even need help. Encourage your child to trust God during this time when life has changed so much.
By Jill Nogales
Owen put the blue crayon back into the box and sighed. “I wish I could go play with Linus,” he grumbled. “Why do we have to stay home?”
Mommy looked up from her computer screen. “I know it’s hard to understand,” she said. “But lots of people are getting sick from a virus. Everyone is trying to stay home so that we don’t get the virus and spread it to others.”
Owen picked a red crayon out of the box. He was coloring a picture of a dinosaur. “Is that why Daddy is home too?” he asked.
Mommy nodded. “Daddy is working at home now because we want to keep everyone healthy and safe.”
“Linus was going to have a birthday party, but now he can’t have it,” Owen said as he colored the spikes on the dinosaur’s tail. “It was going to be fun.”
“Linus must feel sad that he can’t have his birthday party,” Mommy said. “This virus sure took everyone by surprise.”
Owen reached for a yellow crayon. “But it wasn’t a good surprise, was it?”
Mommy shook her head. “No, it wasn’t.” She stood up and stretched. “Let’s go make a snack. And since Daddy is home, we can make a snack for him too.”
Owen followed Mommy to the kitchen. “Can we have cheese and crackers?” he asked.
“Yes,” Mommy said. “First we have to wash our hands. Then you can get the crackers out.”
After he washed his hands, Owen found a new big box of crackers in the pantry. He watched as Mommy took a large chunk of cheese out of the refrigerator and cut off a few slices. Mommy also sliced some apples to go with their snack.
“Snack is ready!” Owen announced. A moment later they heard a loud roar!
“Is that a dinosaur?” Mommy asked.
Owen giggled. “No,” he said. “It’s Daddy!”
“I heard it was snack time,” Daddy said, “and I’m as hungry as a daddy dinosaur.”
As they munched on their crackers together, Owen thought about what Mommy had said earlier. “The virus thing didn’t surprise God,” he said.
Mommy swallowed her cracker. “Why do you say that?” she asked.
“Because,” Owen explained, “God made sure we had a big box of crackers and lots of cheese for our snacks.”
Mommy thought about their full pantry and refrigerator. She nodded. “You’re right, Owen. This virus took us by surprise, but God knew it was going to happen. He was preparing us for this even before we knew about it, wasn’t He?”
“He knew I would need a new box of crayons and a dinosaur coloring book to keep me busy while I can’t play with Linus,” Owen added.
“We have much to be thankful for, don’t we?” Daddy said. “God is with us even when we can’t be with our friends or family.”
“He sure is,” Owen said. “I miss Linus, but it’s fun to have my daddy dinosaur right here with me.”
