We arrived, we aren’t late, we aren’t early – we are
here. I rejoice! It isn’t like this is a big deal, we have
arrived at the YMCA for swim lessons yet it is in itself an accomplishment that
we have made it. The baby still doesn’t
have socks on (I believe we have some in the diaper bag, OK I prayed we had
some in the diaper bag as we walked out the door); the oldest combed her own hair
and well I probably should’ve gone back over it; as we are walking into the Y
with three bags I realize the middle child has breakfast left on his face.
YET we had arrived!
I am sure that each morning I hope for more; but I am not
sure that is possible. Some people have
children that are seemingly perfect in dress and in general “put-to-gether-ness”
not me. Some days are much better than
others and my diaper bag is probably stuffed with more things then yours (as I
am often that parent who other’s borrow from); yet in general we are far from
perfect. But it is the little things
that our children will remember. The
time I spent with them playing instead of matching socks. The countless time I put face paint on them
just for fun – they won’t remember the days afterwards when the said face paint
didn’t come out and they went around with purple eyebrows or green chins. Hopefully they won’t remember us a chaotic but
instead fun.
Some days I look at other parents who seemingly have it “all
together” and wish to be them. But other
days I am glad that we are just us. We
are masters at getting ourselves together enough to be presented in the world
and have fun. We may not all have socks
on but we do have our feet covered and we are ready. We enjoy each other’s company and most
importantly we have a relationship with God.
Our children know God and I bet understand God to be a pretty unorganized
;) after all the pictures of creation
pretty much show the chaos that transformed into creation…
Life doesn’t fit into neat boxes or squares and neither does
God. God isn’t a one size fits all
relationship – in fact Jesus enter relationship with his disciples
differently. He accept them just as they
were and just where they were at.
Children have a remarkable sense of God and spiritual understanding they
know the true limitlessness of God.
Jesus often said “let the children come” or “enter as a child” because
children have a perspective on the world that we are adults have mostly
lost.
Yes, some might see our rushed walk into the YMCA with
barely together children as a sign of how dysfunctional our family can be…however
I see the story behind our rush in. I
know that we played instead of making our beds; I know we eat breakfast
together and read about Joseph that morning, I know we, excited about swim
lessons, took too long picking out our bathing suit and I know that we couldn’t
find swim diapers. But most importantly
I know that God doesn’t care if we go to the YMCA disheveled; or church for
that matter. God doesn’t care because we
are in relationship with the Creator. We are living our lives not for others
but for God. We are striving to teach
our children to do right by following Jesus and living into the life God has
called us to. We are encouraging our
children to have grateful hearts and giving lives. We are hopeful that they won’t care if they
don’t have the latest fades but instead satisfied for the blessing of God in
our lives.
