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From this morning's reading from
"The Journey" [Katie's Uganda blog]:

"no matter where i am, i am always cradled in God's arms, and there i am home."

[image from The Journey]

After we finished the post, I asked my son, "Where is Katie's home?"

"In Uganda."  He answered.

"Yes.  She lives in Uganda."  I replied.  Then told him that I would read the end again and asked him to listen and try to figure out where Katie says her home is.

This we repeated over quite a few times.  His answers varied each time.  We talked about where she was born.  He suggested that maybe she likes to travel all over the world.  I was beginning to give up, wondering if maybe it was a concept he could not yet comprehend.  When I asked the question one final time, he surprised me.  With a smile and glimmer in his eyes he exclaimed, "I think I know!  Katie's home is anywhere."

"Yes!  Good job!  Do you know why Katie says her home is anywhere?"

"Yes, I think I do."  He answered.  "It is because she is cradled in God's arms."

As a homeschooling parent, my joy is doubled when I see my children beginning to understand something I've been trying to teach them in our home education.  Not only do I feel satisfaction and accomplishment as an educator...but also pride and delight as their mother. 

I become especially excited when they are able to reason and figure things out on their own, rather than simply having me tell them.  Sometimes they needs some guidance, and sometimes I do need to explain something.  But those moments when I can almost watch the gears turning in their minds or see the light bulb turn bright through the sparkle in their little eyes - oh those moments are dear to me!

We talked some more about what it means to be "cradled in God's arms".  And then I told him that we too, like Katie, are cradled in God's arms, so wherever we go, God is caring for us, loving us, holding us.

Then I asked him to pray.  And this was his simple prayer:

"Dear Lord, please take care of all the orphan children in Uganda.  Amen."

Amen!