A Christmas Story from Oliver (age 8)

We’re just wanting to let you know how Oliver has been getting on since we last spoke.

His teacher wanted all the class to write a letter to Santa writing a list of good things they’d done and presents they wanted.  Oliver objected and wanted to write his letter to God.  The teacher pulled him aside to ask why and he said “Mum said santa’s not real” so she said it doesn’t matter what mum or dad tell you you can still believe in Santa!!  We were a bit surprised but even more pleased that Oliver dug his heels in and still wrote a letter to God.  The teacher put him on a separate table to all the other kids but they still came over to see what he was doing.  He explained to his classmates God is better because he doesn’t have good and bad lists, everyone’s done bad things which means they won’t necessarily get any presents from Santa.  This brought up some interesting discussions.  They told him believing is receiving and that if he doesn’t  believe in Santa he’ll get a sack of rotten potatoes for Christmas.  We had a great laugh with Oliver because he knows he hasn’t believed in Santa all these years and never got potatoes before.

We are so proud of his confidence but especially how he has related all he is learning about the battle in his mind to his best friend Harry [name changed].  Harry is the smallest boy in his grade and every bully picks on him.  At times throughout the year Oliver has heard Harry get so angry and say he wanted to kill himself.  When Harry is in trouble by the teacher, he sits in the naughty spot and says he’s dumb or stupid.  So Oliver has been teaching him “When you get a thought like I’m awesome that thought is from heaven, when you get a thought like I’m stupid that’s from somewhere else.”  He said, “Mum, I think Harry is starting to get the whole picture of God by all the things I tell him.”  This is quite incredible as Harry’s parents are as atheist as they come and won’t let him do CRE.  Now Harry is agreeing with Oliver in his defense that God made the world.

We thank you a million times for your input, Oliver has been so strengthened by you.

 

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