Written on
July 10, 2010 by
Gina in
Blog
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14
I was a bit surprised by an article I read lately, about a mom who openly admitted she’s bored with her children. And it got me thinking…
Most times, I feel I lack the nurture gene, and yes, I admit I feel like this woman at times. Bored of playing with toys and dolls, aggravated by the never ending kiddie board game, and frustrated by driving my kids all over town.
I’m not one of those moms who loves to play with her children for the simple fact that I’m a type A personality, a Choleric/Melancholy, who sees so much to do around the house that playing a game often feels like wasting time.
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grace: unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification b: a virtue coming from God c: a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine grace
I can’t get away from it this morning.
I woke up with these words–a space of grace–trailing again and again across my mind. I wanted to write about something entirely different here this morning, but the right words for that post are just too elusive. And so I’m giving in to the words that are here, and I’m exploring them.
I’ve always known these spots existed, these spaces of grace, but I’ve never had reason to put a name or a description to what they were, or what they meant to my life.
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“Tell me all the fun things you did today?” I questioned my eight and six-year-old about Bible school.
“Well,” Faith began, and took a deep breath. I knew I was in for a story…
“We were outside playing games and it was hot. So they gave us cups from Sonic and you won’t believe what was in them,” my daughter told me, getting more and more animated.
I equate Bible school with Kool-aid so I had a pretty good guess. “What?” I asked, waiting for her reply.
“HOSE WATER!” She spat it out in the most exasperated way. I wasn’t sure I understood what she said, so I made the mistake of asking again.
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This is what the Lord says – your Redeemer, the Holy one of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. Isaiah 48:17
With summer break here in much of the United States, teachers and students alike are breathing a sigh of relief . . . thankful to leave the classroom for a couple of months. As a former teacher, I remember this time of year as being bitter sweet. I loved the slower pace of the summer, the extra time with my own children, and of course not having to head off to work every morning.
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I remember a simple time a while back when God opened my eyes to the beauty of His creation through the eyes of my then 5 year old son.
I was driving my youngest two children to day care one day. I listened as they were having a conversation about God and what they thought He looked like. My then 8 year old daughter was telling my son that God had brown hair and blue eyes, and a beard, similar to the pictures we’ve all seen that depict Jesus. I glanced in the rear view mirror and waited for my son’s reaction.
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Maybe it’s the newly-hatched summer, but in one week I heard the phrase “Bloom where you’re planted,” from 3 different people in 3 different contexts. Each was referring to not waiting for the perfect set of circumstances; the point is to do the best you can where you are in this moment. I remember thinking sometimes that’s easier said than done.
Earlier this spring I went out on the back porch and saw this: 
Last fall these bulbs were sitting perilously close to the surface, in danger of becoming a mid-winter snack for the fat, scavenging squirrels that have the run of the neighborhood.
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My kids are super excited about the Fourth of July. They love the parties, the decorations, and the fireworks. They love that I pull out some red, white and blue craft for us to do. They love that we always buy or make a new patriotic shirt or outfit to wear. They love that we usually take a trip, maybe to the beach or the mountains.
But I’ve been reflecting on why they should love the fourth. They should love it not for the fun things we do but for what it stands for… freedom. I’m thinking I need to do a better job of teaching them what freedom means and why it is important.
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“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.” – Zechariah 4:10 NLT
I walked down the hall into my daughter’s room only to find her entire toy box and dollhouse emptied onto the floor. She looked up and smiled.
She’d just gotten to the age where I could let her play in her room by herself while I grabbed a few minutes to get things done around the house.
So why was I groaning about the mess instead of being glad at how she’d occupied herself having fun?
As a mom, the new phases our kids grow into can sometimes mean things getting harder–not easier–for a while.
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