One day as I sat on the floor with my child in my lap, hugging and gently swaying him back and forth, I heard a small sigh of contentment from him. I looked down to see his precious smile. I hadn't even realized what a habbit I had of this, but when I am cuddling with him I feel so relaxed, so at peace, so content, that my body relaxes and I sigh. A small, sweet, happy noise. Kind of a gentle hum. James has now aquired this habit to show his peace and contentment. It makes me happier than I can tell you.
Today as I sat down to type this post, he climbed onto my chair behind me, sat on my back as I leaned forward to give him room, laid his chin on my shoulder and just sighed. I smiled. "What are you doing, Mommy?" "I'm blogging," I told him. "I want to blog too."
I'm telling you, all the educational programs, books, videos, software, schools, preschools, and other intellectual gimicks in the world don't teach a child half as much as the time he spends at the side of his mother and father, doing daily tasks and routines. What have your children learned at your side today? Share with me by adding your comment below.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Mommy, I'm growing it!
I have had a very eventful week. A lot has happened, and I have observed and learned so much. I am blessed and so thankful to God for the family he has given me and all the things I have taken for granted all my life. I am still working on sorting through my thoughts and emotions related to recent events, and will share about that when I can get it into words.
Tonight, as James and I were playing in the back yard, I was again contemplating the day. I needed to water my little raised bed container vegetable garden. I got out my half gallon pitcher and filled it to carry water to my little plants. (I don't have a hose for the back yard, nor would I trust leaving one there thanks to my little furry companions back there!) James came up to me and wanted to help me carry the water, so he put his hand on the handle with mine and we walked to the garden and poured the water in. Then I gave him the pitcher and told him to go back and get more water. He ran back to the spigot so excitedly it made me chuckle.
I turned on the water and filled the pitcher about two thirds full and for whatever reason, decided to allow James to carry it all by himself this time. I laughed to myself as he hugged the pitcher and stomped across the yard, sloshing the water out all over himself with every step. He got to the garden and I told him to pour the water in, which he did in one giant torrent right in the middle. I told him he did great and we returned to the spigot. This time I only filled it half full and he did a better job carrying it. I directed him to put water on this plant, and this plant. By this time he was so incredibly proud of himself, it was a joy to watch. He announced "I'm growing them! Mommy, I'm growing them!" We talked about how the plants drink water through thier roots, and how they use the dirt and water and sunshine to grow. At one point he looked across the yard where the dogs lounged and told me "The doggies are watching me."
After the garden was watered and James was back to running and laughing with his buddy the weiner dog, I got to thinking. Many days I would have been annoyed at his insistence with helping me. Letting him carry the water himself made us have twice as many trips to get the amount of water we needed. But if I had been bent on doing it myself for the sake of efficiency, look what I would have missed! Look at the joy, the self-confidence, the sense of accomplishment and involvement that simple activity gave my son. As I thought about this, I pulled my blackberry from my pocket and posted a message to my facebook account. "I am learning that the process is as important as the result. Often more so."
As I posted, a song that I hadn't heard in a long time came to mind. Joy in the Journey, by Michael Card. It has been playing in my mind all evening. I found it on youtube and listened again.
There is a joy in the journey. There's a light we can love on the way. There is a wonder and wildness to life. And freedom for those who obey. All those who seek it shall find it, a pardon for all who believe. Hope for the hopeless and sight for the blind. To all who've been born of the Spirit, and who share incarnation with him; who belong to eternity stranded in time, and weary of struggling with sin. Forget not the hope that's before you. And never stop counting the cost. Remember the hopelessness when you were lost. There is a joy in the journey. There's a light we can love on the way. There is a wonder and wildness to life. And freedom for those who obey. And freedom for those who obey.
I decided to revise and re-direct my blog. I hope to use this a tool to reflect on and to share with others the joy that is in my journey. I hope to keep it always in the forefront of my thinking that how we get there and what we do on the way is as important as where we are going.
God's blessings, Heather
Tonight, as James and I were playing in the back yard, I was again contemplating the day. I needed to water my little raised bed container vegetable garden. I got out my half gallon pitcher and filled it to carry water to my little plants. (I don't have a hose for the back yard, nor would I trust leaving one there thanks to my little furry companions back there!) James came up to me and wanted to help me carry the water, so he put his hand on the handle with mine and we walked to the garden and poured the water in. Then I gave him the pitcher and told him to go back and get more water. He ran back to the spigot so excitedly it made me chuckle.
I turned on the water and filled the pitcher about two thirds full and for whatever reason, decided to allow James to carry it all by himself this time. I laughed to myself as he hugged the pitcher and stomped across the yard, sloshing the water out all over himself with every step. He got to the garden and I told him to pour the water in, which he did in one giant torrent right in the middle. I told him he did great and we returned to the spigot. This time I only filled it half full and he did a better job carrying it. I directed him to put water on this plant, and this plant. By this time he was so incredibly proud of himself, it was a joy to watch. He announced "I'm growing them! Mommy, I'm growing them!" We talked about how the plants drink water through thier roots, and how they use the dirt and water and sunshine to grow. At one point he looked across the yard where the dogs lounged and told me "The doggies are watching me."
After the garden was watered and James was back to running and laughing with his buddy the weiner dog, I got to thinking. Many days I would have been annoyed at his insistence with helping me. Letting him carry the water himself made us have twice as many trips to get the amount of water we needed. But if I had been bent on doing it myself for the sake of efficiency, look what I would have missed! Look at the joy, the self-confidence, the sense of accomplishment and involvement that simple activity gave my son. As I thought about this, I pulled my blackberry from my pocket and posted a message to my facebook account. "I am learning that the process is as important as the result. Often more so."
As I posted, a song that I hadn't heard in a long time came to mind. Joy in the Journey, by Michael Card. It has been playing in my mind all evening. I found it on youtube and listened again.
There is a joy in the journey. There's a light we can love on the way. There is a wonder and wildness to life. And freedom for those who obey. All those who seek it shall find it, a pardon for all who believe. Hope for the hopeless and sight for the blind. To all who've been born of the Spirit, and who share incarnation with him; who belong to eternity stranded in time, and weary of struggling with sin. Forget not the hope that's before you. And never stop counting the cost. Remember the hopelessness when you were lost. There is a joy in the journey. There's a light we can love on the way. There is a wonder and wildness to life. And freedom for those who obey. And freedom for those who obey.
I decided to revise and re-direct my blog. I hope to use this a tool to reflect on and to share with others the joy that is in my journey. I hope to keep it always in the forefront of my thinking that how we get there and what we do on the way is as important as where we are going.
God's blessings, Heather
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