One thing we all learn early, mommies of small children get a ton of anatomy lessons! Especially involving bodily fluids! Of course, boy moms especially talk about interesting stuff. With tons of laughter. 

Today, Anna and I talk about how medical vocabulary, like words for anatomy, can help our children succeed and set them up to love their own identity. And make us a better mommy and grandmother.

Honestly, I was a little skittish about using anatomy as our topic. 

“That’s why I’m so excited to be on the show with you. That seems like it could go really wrong, really fast,” laughs Anna. “Luckily, we’re talking about anatomy and reading.” 

Somehow reading makes everything more comfortable—even the trickiest conversations! At least to Anna and I reading makes life better. Maybe you feel the same way. (Read to the end today, to find out more about how we’re changing the culture one conversation at a time.)

Anatomy and Liveliness

Along with anatomy, in this podcast Anna and I talked about the character quality of liveliness. The connection between anatomy and liveliness (i.e. being alive) makes sense to me. 

If you’re raising a lively kiddo, you’ll appreciate just how much energy they can bring to any situation, sometimes to everyone’s dismay. 

How do we channel a child’s natural liveliness toward being sensitive to the needs around us? By teaching them to serve others with tender energy.

Camp Krafve definition of lively—energetic and attentive to others as we choose our moods to tenderly, vigorously care for one another.

Obviously, there are times when we need a stern pep talk. We don’t always need a cheerleader rah-rah-ing around us. Maybe we even need to hold each other accountable. Gently but firmly. That takes emotional energy and commitment.

Our children will be better prepared to channel their energy if we teach them at an early age to respect their own bodies and the God-given identity of those around them. Of course there are numerous places in scripture where we see God’s hand in our unique design. Here’s a favorite:

“I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very.” ~Psalm 149:14

Growing Up in a Medical Household

Growing up in a medical household, we never never bled; we hemorrhaged. Granted, that one was a little melodramatic, since to hemorrhage implies uncontrolled bleeding. In another example, when we fell off our bike, we weren’t bruised; we had contusions.

Anna thinks parents help our kids by calling body parts by their scientific names. 

This sounds harder than it actually is. For example, my dad always called muscles by their full name. But I couldn’t remember them until I grew up.

However, once I hit the gym, I recognized immediately abs stood for abdomen and gluts was short for gluteus maximus. Their location became easy to remember as I rubbed the lactic acid out of those muscles the rest of the day. 

Along the way, my parents gave our kids a 3-D take-part plastic human body puzzle with organs, bones, and muscles that come apart. In no time at all, pieces were scattered everywhere. Which led to funny questions, like, “Have you seen my liver.” Or, “We’ve lost the kidneys.”

Not long ago, Dave and I gave our granddaughter a 3-D human body puzzle. Her older siblings surprised me by finding it fascinating, too.

This Christmas, the littlest grands are getting anatomy coloring books in their stockings.

When Vocabulary is Too Hard for Your Young Child

But what if you give your child a new vocabulary and they don’t get it? No problem.

“Do you remember teaching me the word renaissance when I was in first grade?”

Nope. 

“You literally told me, ‘Well, Anna, it’s okay if you don’t understand. Just write it on a file in your brain and leave it there. Anytime you hear anything related, just put that in the file, too.’ And I did.”

She says she imagined literal filing cabinets in her brain.

“I opened one of the drawers and I put a file with the word Renaissance written on it in the drawer. And I shut it.” 

Having a big mystery word on file made her anticipate history lessons at school, she reports.

“I was waiting for the moment when teachers started telling me about renaissance because you’d given me the word!”

Since she earned a degree in Art History her renaissance file is thick now!

Respecting Our Own Body and Identity

God cares so much about our physical bodies that “He became a man,” Anna points out.

“He came to earth and inhabited a physical body. Jesus Christ is a man with a physical body. Every time I think of it, I’m in awe. It makes me respect my own body so much more.”

While we don’t know exactly what Jesus’s body is like in heaven, we do know he shared many common human physiological experiences while He was on earth.

“I’ve known since childhood that God made me on purpose. But as an adult,” she says with a catch in her throat, “the idea that He inhabits His own physical body that’s like mine is very powerful in my heart.The idea holds me accountable to take care of my own body. 

Anna says accountability is important for all humans when it comes to respecting our own bodies. She raises a really good point. 

“I, too, tend to reject my physical self or indulge it to the point of self-destruction.”

Oh, me, too! Ouch! This one hits close to home!

For instance, I tend to indulge my body with unhealthy food (read: potato chips) and then reject myself when I don’t like what I see.

One More Reason To Love Medical Vocabulary

There are good ways to care for ourselves.

“Anytime, I teach my children ‘special words’ for something, it becomes more important and more valuable,” says Anna. 

With the world all around encouraging our kids to reject their design, teaching them to cherish their physical and psychological health is important. 

“So, it makes sense — at least to me as someone who loves vocabulary— if you teach your kids the word cranium instead of just the word ‘head’, they’ll know that head is very important and a treasure, “ she suggests. “Their cranium has its own amazing worth. It will help them understand the importance of their own physical self.”

“People with brains wear helmets,” I laugh, reciting a not-so-famous Camp Krafve motto. But maybe I should change it to “Helmets protect craniums!”

For amazing wisdom from outstanding parents raising children with special challenges look for our podcasts with Katie Butts and Kristin Evans. 

Identity and Anatomy

Even though anatomy is such an important part of our lives, sometimes we take it for granted.

Certainly, we’re living in a time when people are encouraged to reject themselves, even their own body.  

If ever my heart breaks deep in my soul, it’s to think people reject themselves at such a deep, physical, inherent level. Today, I want to close this blog with a beautiful thought.

“For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” ~ 1 Corinthians 16-20 NKJV

On a Personal Note

Finally, so many people have notice I went from weekly to monthly blogs. Thank you for noticing!! I keep plugging away because of YOUR encouragement! You matter to me!!

Finally, Israel

Finally, for the record, my thoughts and prayers are with Israel. God has a special place in His heart for Jewish people and so do I. Simple. ❤️

🙂

cathy

We LOVE to Hear From YOU!

What vocabulary word changed your life? When you pray for your family, how do you ask God to help your loved ones express love and worth? Today, how can you intercede on behalf of American culture?

May we pray together?

Dear good Father, have mercy on our world, as evil seems to break out all over the globe. Fulfill Your plan for Israel, the people You love, dear Lord. Have mercy on the Jews and bless them as they honor You. Give us wisdom as we support and uphold them, respecting their history, their place in this world, and their relationship with You.

As Anna and I talk, I keep thinking how important it is for us to have the right conversations with our kids and grandkids. We live in a time saturated with rejection. Our culture is aching for more godly self-respect. Our children are assaulted with “reasons” to reject themselves daily. Help us be parents and grandparents who love You, love each other, and are brave about having talking authentically with our families. Have mercy on us all! Bless us now because that is Your heart’s desire. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

More Exciting Adventures

Coming to YOUR Church SOON (I Hope)

If you attend a small East Texas church and are looking for FREE resources, I want to help. Here’s our latest sizzle reel. Please share this with anyone you know looking to build better communication in their church….

Please share this link — https://youtu.be/m48_SjYTsZk?feature=shared — with your friends! Let me know if I can serve YOU!

And keep praying!

Shout Out For Writers

Favorite Quote from Today’s Podcast:

“Whoever named it necking was a poor judge of anatomy.” ~Groucho Marx

Building Vocabulary Randomly

Here’s the list of big anatomy words we used randomly in today’s blog and podcast:

• abdomen – the part of the body between the thorax and the pelvis
• anatomy – structural makeup especially of an organism or any of its parts
• contusion – injury to tissue usually without laceration : BRUISE
• cranium – skull; the part of the skull that encloses the brain 
• gluteus maximus – the outermost muscle of the three glutei found in each of the human buttocks
• hemorrhage – a copious or heavy discharge of blood from the blood vessels
• lactic acid – a hygroscopic organic acid C3H6O3 present normally especially in muscle tissue as a by-product of anaerobic glycolysis, produced in carbohydrate matter usually by bacterial fermentation, and used especially in food and medicine and in industry (What?! So it’s the chemical that makes your muscles hurt when you work out. CAK)
• muscles – a body tissue consisting of long cells that contract when stimulated and produce motion
• physiological – relating to the way in which the bodies of living things work

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Cathy Krafve, host of Fireside Talk Radio and author of The Well: The Art of Drawing Out Authentic Conversations and Marriage Conversation: From Coexisting to Cherished. We welcome your stories, ideas, and questions at CathyKrafve.com. 

❤️Truth with a Texas Twang! ❤️