Do cats have armpits? ... and other mysteries

One of the most beautiful things about kids is the questions they ask, unless you're the one that has to answer the question.

About a month ago or so, my daughter was petting our cat, who was enjoying a nice nap at the end of the bed and welcomed another reason to purr. But suddenly out of the blue, she blurted, "Do cats have armpits?"

My wife and I just looked at each other for a moment, then burst into laughter. Put that on the list of things to ask about in heaven.

A few weeks earlier, this same inquisitive little girl had a different question. She asked her mother first, then me. "When's God's birthday?" she inquired.

"Christmas," was my nearly automatic answer and no sooner than I spoke, I realized my error. So did the 6-year-old.

"No, that's Jesus' birthday," she corrected. "When is God's birthday?"

Oh, dear. There's no theology textbook for stuff like that.

I paused a moment, then plunged ahead with a response.

"God doesn't have a birthday," I said. "God has always been and always will be. He lives forever and never changes. That's why we know he's always with us."

Was this enough to satisfy a child's insatiable curiosity? As it turns out, yes.

With a simple, "Oh, okay," the conversation was over. She may or may not remember it, but I will. You never know when or where you'll learn about God, but whether you're 6 or 96, his mysteries never cease.

Now if I can just figure out whether the cat needs to wear deodorant!