In the High, the Low, and the Buffalo

By Lauren Ashley Zitek

Every evening at dinner, each person in our family shares a high, low, and buffalo from the day. I think most people are familiar with sharing a high and a low, and sharing a “buffalo” was a fun addition introduced by friends at church. A “buffalo” is something surprising or silly that happened during the day. Something like, “I saw a raccoon climb out of the gutter this morning,” or “That dog with three legs could run surprisingly fast,” or “I ran into Kyle at the grocery store this afternoon.”

Earlier this summer, I read Sarah Cowan Johnson’s book, Teach Your Children Well, a book about family discipleship. In the book, she references a passage from Deuteronomy 6:5-9 (NIV). “ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” (Deuteronomy 6:5-9 NIV)

I’m familiar with this passage, but reading it again hit me with fresh clarity. As parents, we have the responsibility and privilege of teaching our children about our faith. It’s not supposed to be an afterthought. This is God’s design for passing faith from one generation to the next. We need to do this with intention and consistency. Johnson’s book challenged me to find more ways to weave faith into our family life—in both little and big moments.

I started thinking through all of the routines in our day and where we could incorporate more conversation about God. Our high, low, buffalo rhythm came to mind.

As of this week, we’re trying something new. Before we jump into sharing about our day, we say together, “Our good God is with us always… in the high, and the low, and the buffalo!”

So far, I’m liking it. It’s simple, but adds depth to the established habit. The message is: Even when we aren’t together, God is always there—not only when we pray, worship, or read Scripture, but in every ordinary moment of our day. No matter how we feel.

One of the primary purposes of this rhythm is still to help our family connect and learn about each other’s days. It teaches our children the value of sharing and listening (results may vary). Adding this liturgy gives another layer of meaning. In addition to helping us stay connected, it’s also an opportunity to remind us of God’s presence throughout our days.

For kids (and all of us), there’s power in repetition. I think this message is one that’s worth repeating.

Connect with me at LaurenZitek.com

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