Unexpected

Today I found something unexpected in the middle of October, a new little flower was blooming in our garden. Slowed down, glanced down, a bit of color...

Today when the kids got home from school we packed up snacks and a water bottle and I sent them back out the door.  They didn't expect me to tell them... Go play, go ride your bikes around the neighborhood and don't come back until the streetlights come on. Then we'll have movie night. It was refreshing change from the rest of this week. Full of homework and orders to do chores, go take a shower read a book go to bed. Tonight finally the weekend.

Strings

Have you heard of this? Tying strings of fellowship?

 

Last night Shelly and I were talking before bedtime and she started telling me about how she had missed me the night before. She had gone to Grandma Sue's for a sleepover with her cousins, they had a girls' night together and had lots of fun. But she missed us. She's always done this, found some sadness in the fun because she misses someone who wasn't able to be there with her. I love that she wants to be with us and misses us, but I don't want it overshadowing her fun, and so we talked about it.

Shelly, did you know that there's an invisible string that goes from your heart to my heart? I told her that when she goes away, the string starts to strech, but its strong. When she goes away for awhile, or a far distance, that string streches, but its strong, and we're still connected. She really liked this analogy, and we started pulling on the strings on the sweatshirt I was wearing. I leaned back, she held on and we watched those strings streeeecccchhhhh, but she held on tight.

We talked about how the string streches, but that's ok, because we always come back together again. And then I asked her, don't you want those strings between you and Grandma to get stronger? And what about your cousins? When you spend time together, you make those strings stronger... She was smiling thinking about all the strings between her and everyone she loves, she started listing people and I can imagine she was thinking about all that string between her and everyone else. Can't you picture the big web of strings between each of us, from me to my husband and kids, from them to each other and to me, from each of us to all of those in our lives that we love?

At some point, Archer came into the room and sat with us while we described all of those strings, and the analogy started to shift a little. We talked about things getting tangled up and messy between each other. What do you do when things get tangled? Knotted? Its an analogy that works so well. One that I need to remember more often. Take the time to tie new strings between myself and those I love. Spend time together doing fun things, talking, building that relationship. Take the time to untangle them when things get complicated. And protect them, don't ever, ever let anything come to cut the strings that connect us to each other.

Confidence

I've been thinking about this lately, self confidence. Of course I want my kids to be confident, be willing to go out into the world and talk to new friends, try new things, work hard and do their best. And be confident that they'll be ok, no matter how well (or not well) they do. But the whole thing is too tied up in something. Self.

Do you think our culture, our entire world, is too tied up in SELF? Perhaps? Probably. Definitely. Self. Take care of yourSELF. Look out for yourSELF. And of course, be confident in YOURSELF.

What about God? What about confidence in Christ, the one who saved us from ourselves?

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
~Philippians 4:12-13

I let myself down way too often to have much confidence in my very own self and my ability to do anything. Christ is really the one I should be relying upon. Through Him, I can do all things. Through Him, my children should be learning to do all things. And in Him, they should be living each and every day. When they're challenged, I want them to say, "The Lord brought me to this situation, He will bring me through it." Or "I got myself into this mess, but the Lord will lead me out." I know from my own experience that I get myself into too many messes that I can't necessarily solve on my own. And so I lean on Jesus. And I want them to know that too. Confidence in Him. Not in themselves.

 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
~Joshua 1:9