Mommy Musings
Monthly Column by Anni Welborne

Oh, I was so tired of trying to refocus my then three-year-old daughter's thoughts. It seemed that a thousand times a day her thoughts would go down some rabbit trail, and I'd have to fetch them back. It was like trying to redirect white-water rapids.  Christiana's imagination was really blossoming, and she could imagine some pretty terrific play scenarios. I was amazed at her fertile imagination, but struggled to keep it within Godly boundaries. As a stay-at-home-mom, I was so thankful that I could be there for her, to help her  “take captive every thought.”

As a child, I spent many sleepless nights, terrified by something I had imagined or watched on tv. I remember one time in particular; a boy in my kindergarten class told me that a dragon would come to my house that night and eat me up. I was petrified beyond belief, weeping into my pillow, so very afraid. I thought if I stayed awake, I wouldn't be surprised by the dragon and could crawl under my bed before he got me.  My plan failed, and I fell asleep.  Of course, the dragon never came, but that night remains in my adult memory about the terror of vain imagination.

Like many first time parents, I was determined to parent differently and better. I purposed to help my children develop God-pleasing imaginations and thought lives. I began by being careful about what books, music, and videos I allowed the girls to watch. However, the first time Christiana shrieked in terror from her room during the middle of the day sent me running down the hall. There she was, curled in the corner of her bed, trembling in fear. 

"The Wions! The Wions! Mommy, help me!  I’m twapped!  I can't get out of bed because of the wions!" Those lions may have been imaginary, but they were very real in her wide, tear-filled eyes. 

As I wrapped her in my arms, I prayed for guidance. God's Word is completely sufficient for every need we have; we just need to rightly apply His Word. But what scripture would apply to imaginary lions?  I'm so thankful for the Holy Spirit, speaking quietly to my soul at times when I so desperately need His voice.

"Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things." 
   (Philippians 4:8)

As I hushed my daughter's sobs and gently dried her tears, I began telling her that Jesus gave her a wonderful imagination, but He expects her to use it to glorify Him, and not to frighten other people or herself. I told her that the Bible tells us what we are supposed to think about. I recited Philippians 4:8 for her, and then ran down the checklist for her.  Were the lions really, truly there? Were her lions noble and honorable?  Or did they want to scare her? Were they lovely? Or were they mean looking? What did they want to do? Were their motives pure? Were they there to help or to frighten?  She shook her head at each question as she looked cautiously over my shoulder at the middle of the carpet. You could almost see the lions shrinking before her eyes. I asked her if she thought it made Jesus happy for her to imagine scary lions in her bedroom. Again, she shook her head no.

But I knew it wasn't enough for her to simply stop thinking about the lions. I knew she needed to replace them with something in her mind that was true, pure, noble, and lovely. Ephesians 4:22-24 teaches us about the Put Off/Put On principle. “That you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man, which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God in true righteousness and holiness.”  

I asked her to close her eyes and think about something beautiful, like butterflies and daffodils and puppies (her favorite). I asked her to make the butterflies lovely, the daffodils praiseworthy, and the puppies noble. I asked her to specifically describe what she was imagining, and this time, she imagined truly lovely things. I asked her leading questions, to help her fill in details. I then asked her to open her eyes and look at me.  Gone were the frightened tears! In their place was the sparkle of sunshine that brings joy to my soul. Finally, a break-through in helping my daughter “take every thought captive!”

It was many similar sessions and many months later that she woke crying in the middle of the night from a dream. My husband scooped Christiana up while I tended to her baby sister, who unfortunately woke up from the screaming cries. We piled everyone into our bed to cuddle and calm down while I nursed the baby back to sleep. Suddenly, from way down below the quilt, came Christiana's little voice. 

"The grass is green, Mommy. And it tickles like feathers. And it has little pink flowers with happy faces. And there goes a Monarch butterfly. <giggle> The butterfly waved at me, Mommy!" Christiana quietly babbled on a few more minutes, describing her little meadow populated with pink squirrels, lavender ponies, pink and purple flowers, pink lightning bugs, and pink trees with yellow stars and blue leaves. Her voice drifted off as she returned to sleep, peaceful in her God-pleasing imagination. 

I truly have no greater joy than to know my children walk in truth (3 John 4)! I was so blessed to hear my daughter rightly applying God's word in her life, and at such a young age. When I'm discouraged by other areas in which she might not be growing very well, I try to remember the victories she has had and the Godly Truths she has hidden in her heart. I am so thankful that God’s Word does not return void and that He has blessed us with guidance in His Word. And I’m so thankful I can be there, every day, day after day, to be her Mommy and Teacher.

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About the Author: Anni is the wife of Charles Welborne and the homeschooling mother of five children - two daughters (ages 7 and 5) here on earth, and three who graduated early and now dwell with their Heavenly Father. She assists her husband in the tape/CD duplication ministry at their church, where she is also in charge of the Deaf ministry and serves as a sign language interpreter. Anni is also a part-time Developmental Therapist for at-risk and developmentally delayed infants and preschoolers. In her "spare" time, she enjoys sewing, quilting, scrapbooking, and making pysanky (Ukranian decorated eggs). The Welbornes live in Indiana.