Thursday, January 13, 2011

Dream Dates for Kids

It could appear that I have been hallucinating recently.  Lack of sleep can do that.

If I am hallucinating, then that means four people in my family are also suffering from a brain disorder. Or lack of sleep. 

We have recently jumped on the moon, taken a boat ride on a river of maple syrup, walked through Candyland, fished with Curious George using cake, had a picnic on the curtains hanging on the wall in the Granola boys’ bedroom, and used a trampoline to jump up to a cloud.

2 Corinthians 10: 5 says,

we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

And that is exactly what we are trying to do. 

We are just applying it in an unusual way.

If you have children or if you have an overactive imagination (such as myself), falling asleep can prove difficult.  As our children have grown older and sadly processed more information that steals some of their innocence, it has become a struggle for them to “take every thought captive.”

Especially at bedtime.

Sleep becomes illusive because that day someone told them there were monsters in the basement.  Another person inappropriately discussed how the neighbor’s house was broken into.  The TV aired a dark and evil ad before we were able to turn it off.  Someone discussed an article in the newspaper about a child being abducted.  The list of deceitful and potentially disturbing topics goes on and on . . .

Enter dream dates.

After taking requests and covering our children with the blanket of prayer,  we help them plan where we are going to go in out dreams together.  As they fall asleep, our munchkins are given a tool to take their thoughts captive and journey on a delightful adventure with the family, that only the imagination can accomplish. 

There are no boundaries, nap times, money issues, time, etc. to contend with.

A dream date.  The perfect family vacation.

And little boys can fall asleep with visions of “cream colored ponies and crisp apple strudels, doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles, wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings . . .”

The best part is comparing notes in the morning . . .

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