The other night we sent Colter upstairs to find a book. When he came back saying that he couldn’t locate the book, Brett told him it was on bookcase #5. To understand this story, you need to know that Brett and I are redoing our entire library. All the books are being reorganized and moved to the appropriate bookcase. We’ve numbered them so we can differentiate the bookcases. The problem is – we didn’t label the bookcases. Brett and I just know the numbers in our heads.

So when Brett told Cole the book was on bookcase #5 – that was meaningless to him. But he dutifully went back up to look again. Upon his return, he announced that he still couldn’t find the book. Brett said (a bit more sharply this time), “It is on bookcase #5.”

This went on for a little while kinda like this:

“I can’t find it.”

“It is ON Bookcase #5!”

“I can’t find it.”

“It is ON BOOKCASE #5!!”

“I can’t find it.”

“IT IS ON BOOKCASE #5!!!!!”

At this point, mom (that’s me) intervened and patiently explained that Cole did not know which bookcase was #5, so repeating the same information was not going to help him locate the book.

With a little help from me, Colter went back upstairs once again. (I may point out that both Brett and I were working in the kitchen and couldn’t go upstairs ourselves). This wasn’t about torturing Cole. 

At that point, Jim (who had been silently watching this whole thing) says to Brett, “Would you please get me that unga bunga?”

Brett looks around puzzled and doesn’t move.

I immediately chime in, “Brett, Daddy needs the unga bunga now.”

Brett doesn’t move.

“Brett – when are you going to get Daddy the unga bunga? Please hurry up.”

At this point, Brett is looking really confused and kinda dazed (she’s not used to not knowing something).

I must admit that Jim and I were both deadpan throughout this. But when Brett looked at me, scrunched up her face and cocked her head, I couldn’t help it. I burst out laughing. Now she looked REALLY confused.

While I continued to laugh, Jim patiently explained to her that telling Cole the book was on bookcase #5 was as meaningless to him as “get me the unga bunga” was to her.

Jim is so awesome – he’s great at coming up with object lessons that are both meaningful and memorable. It was part of what made him such a great teacher.

And at the conclusion, when Jim looked at me and said, “I knew you’d understand what I was getting at.”  It made me all warm and fuzzy knowing that God has also made us such a great team.