This morning my daughter Tali gleefully told me and my wife, in her cute 2 1/2 year-old way, "My had fun at Nanny’s house." Tali hasn’t been to Nanny’s house in several weeks, but last evening my mom (aka "Nanny") came over to watch her, allowing me and Jess to go out for a rare date. What I find interesting is that for Tali our house became "Nanny’s house" – "My had fun at Nanny’s house," she said.
Why is that? Perhaps our house became Nanny’s house because Nanny was here providing care and love for Tali, whereas Mommy and Daddy were out for the evening. You see, Tali doesn’t really care about private ownership and other practical details of adult life. For Tali, Nanny’s caring and loving presence is what made our home Nanny’s for the night. Mommy and Daddy were gone, Nanny was there – thus she was safe and secure at Nanny’s house.
There is probably an analogy in all this for we relate to God (our homes, our lives are God’s because God’s comfort and love fills them), but I’m having a hard time articulating or elaborating it. Regardless, I like the story.
The Lutheran Zephyr 