Isaac had a project this week for the 100th day of school. The instructions said to do a poster with 100 items. It said that they could be anything..a drawing, or stickers, or anything. It said to 'be creative'. I had so many great ideas. "Pinterest" ideas. I was prepared, and excited. The problem is, Isaac had ideas too. He wanted to do a poster of stickers. I just knew I could talk him out of it when I showed him all my ideas. After all, he's 6!
But, I was wrong. He's hard headed and stubborn. He insisted on doing it his way. I tried hard. I showed him great pictures from Pinterest. Samuel even tried to help. He offered his suggestions and assistance. So, we started the poster Isaac's way. He asked me to write "100 Stickers" on the poster. I did...in bubble letters. He colored them in, and then put his 100 stickers that he had counted out on it. His way. It was awful. When he colored in the letters, he did it with markers. It smeared all over the board as he was putting his hands in it before it had dried. Then, his stickers didn't match, and there was no order. They were just 100 stickers all over the poster. I was sad.
So, yesterday, I talked him into doing another with lollipops. He finally agreed, only if he could turn them both in. SO, we did 100 lollipops stuck into a foam circle and decorated it. It was adorable. I was proud.
But, the lesson came early this morning. When he was getting out of my car at the kindergarten building with both projects in hand, I tried to show him how to roll up his poster to carry it easier, and to hide it. He refused. I sat in my car and watched him go into the building with his backpack on his back and his arms full. He stopped twice to show his poster to someone. He held it out in front of him, and he BEAMED.
Reality hit me hard. My poor parenting slapped me in the face. How stupid of me. How did I not see it before? WHY did I try to force him to do it my way?
With each of my children I prayed earnestly for strong wills, bright minds, and that the boys would grow would to be shining examples of Christ-driven men. Then, like a fool, I tried to make him more like me. Isaac's poster may not have been as 'pinterest-y' as some of the other's in his class, it may not have been neat, and cute..but it was his. He had done it his way, like a 6 year old should have. And, I tried to change it.
Psalms 127:4 says, "Like arrows in the hands of a warrior, are the children born in one's youth". Arrows in the hands of a warrior?? I am SOO unprepared for that!! I didn't have enough training! But, you know, the lesson I am learning, is to Let Go, and Let GOD. I'm unprepared, but HE isn't. He created Isaac, knit him together in my inmost being. He knows him. and He is shaping into the man that I have prayed he would become. How dare I step in and try to make him more like me? Today, I'm gonna be thankful for God is doing in the lives of my children, for the people He is shaping them to be. I'm gonna continue to pray over them, and I am going to step back and watch. His ways are so much more perfect than mine...and for that, I am thankful!
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
God? Is that you?
I've been studying in 1 Samuel this week, and have gotten stuck. Stuck, like, deep in thought, with a verse that just continues to penetrate my thoughts. It's this one:
"Now the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel answered, "Speak, for Your servant hears" 1 Samuel 3:10I've gotten stuck on a different part of this verse every day this week. On Monday, it was "the Lord came and stood". Wow! Stood. I think sometimes I picture God ruling my life like a puppeteer...like high above me, looking down at me below. It blew my mind to picture Him coming and standing beside me when he speaks to me. What a precious visual image. Today, though, it's Samuel's response to the Lord's calling. As a mom, my mind drifts to my own children. Have I done enough to help them recognize the Lord's voice when He calls? Samuel had confused God's voice for Eli's to begin with. But, here, responds to the Lord Himself. Our lives are busy. We are constantly running. Work, school, basketball, baseball, football, practice, church, choir, family dinners, friends. It's alot. Add to it all the other 'noise'. Video games, tv, ipods. I wonder if my children will be able to hear through all the noise when God calls. I'm instituting "Quiet Sunday" at my house. No laundry, no cleanup, no video games, no noise. I realize that our world is spinning fast, and all of these things are important. However, I believe that children need some down time to refresh and replenish. And, maybe I'm not doing enough to help them find it. I want them to know the difference in God's voice and the world's. I want them to realize that it's ok to not be connected to the internet all day, or playing a game or with friends. Some of my most precious moments with the Lord have come when I was alone and still before Him. I hope my children have those moments, too. But, it's also good for family time. Time that we can connect to one another and actually....talk! I'm also impressed with Eli. I wonder if it was a shock to his system with he realized that God was speaking directly to young Samuel, and not through him. I think that God uses me to speak to my children at such young ages, but I recognize that He will also speak to them as they grow. John 1:30 tells us, "This is He of whom I said,'after me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me." I am taking it somewhat out of context, but I think that there will be a day when my children are 'preferred before me'. After all, I have prayed since before their births that God would use their lives in mighty way. I just hope to get a back seat to seeing it happen. Still, I think when the day comes that they don't need me anymore...it's gonna be a shot to my gut. Guess I should start praying now for wisdom on that day. What are you studying? Talk to me about what you are thinking!
Friday, January 10, 2014
WOW! Long time, No see!!
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