Avery Said...Two Bedtime Conversations

In Primary (the children's portion of our Sunday church services)  the children have been learning a new song.   It's called "If the Savior Stood Beside Me".  Avery loves this song and often requests that we sing it.  The lyrics go like this:

If the Savior stood beside me,
Would I do the things I do?
Would I think of His commandments and try harder to be true?
Would I follow His example?
Would I live more righteously if I could see the Savior standing nigh,
watching over me?

If the Savior stood beside me,
Would I say the things I say?
Would my words be true and kind if He were never far away?
Would I try to share the gospel?
Would I speak more reverently if I could see the Savior standing nigh,
watching over me?

He is always near me, though I do not see Him there,
And because He loves me dearly,
I am in His watchful care,
So I'll be the kind of person that I know I'd like to be
if I could see the Savior standing nigh watching over me.

(Music and lyrics by Sally DeFord, a member of our church)


One night I was kneeling at the side of Avery's bed as I do each night, preparing to sing to him.

Avery said, "Mommy, you need to move aside.  Move down there (pointing to the foot of the bed). You're kneeling right on Jesus Christ.  He stands beside me."

( I know the phrase "move aside" sounds a bit formal for a four year old, but those were his exact words.  You see, Clark speaks more formally than most people do now days.  He is very well read and well educated and he even went to college for a short time at Oxford in England.  So Avery picks up on some of these older, more formal phrases that Clark often uses.  I think it's pretty charming to hear "move aside" coming from such a little one.)

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Avery:  Mommy, will you do me a favor?

Me:  What do you need?

Avery:  Will you sleep with Monkey tonight?  (Avery doesn't name his stuffed animals.  He just calls them by their animal names.)

Me:  Sure.  But don't you want to sleep with him?

Avery:  No, I'm sleeping with Sea Otter.  And be sure to hold Monkey tight and give him hugs.  He likes hugs. 

Me:  Okay.  I promise to hold him and give him hugs tonight.