You Forgot Jesus!

Ben is learning the Pledge of Allegiance at school. He asked why he has to do it and we talked about what each part means. He seems to think it's a good idea. Knowing it's pretty long, I have offered to help him practise at home. He has always refused any offer of help and seems embarassed to not know the whole thing, but he is working on it. It usually happens when I'm in the kitchen and he's playing in the living room. I hear snippets of the pledge recited, lots of pieces missing and/or misplaced words jump in, but he's really getting it. Last night while Brian and I were cleaning up dinner dishes and all three kids were in the living room, I heard him begin again. "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America...(most of the rest of it until this)...one nation under God, indivisable," then Maddie loudly broke in. "You forgot Jesus!!" she hollered out at him. "No I did not!" came the defiant response. "Yes you did. You didn't say Jesus!" Maddie retorted. "There is no Jesus in it." "Yes there is." "No there's not." Etc. Brian and I were laughing in the kitchen enjoying our children as they explored the blessing of seperation of church and state.