As a parent there are many crossroads you face and sometimes you just have to make a decision and pray that it was the best decision out of the available options. We have learned that often the right choice won't manifest fruit for awhile, while the wrong choice will show the ugliness of its face quickly. This leads to much waiting and praying, and more waiting.
Around the start of this past year we were convicted over our word choice when talking about work and school. We realized that we were using a down tone and words like "have to" rather than "gets to". Now we all know why we did that, neither of us wanted him to be gone. At the time Baby Love was small enough that there wasn't anything he was doing that told us this needed to change, it was simply a quiet voice of conviction. We resolved to change how we spoke about these matters and to truly find in our hearts a grateful place from which to speak. For we are grateful he has a job. Incredibly grateful he is doing well in classes and gets to continue his studies. And equally blessed when he is able to be home with us.
We have successfully altered how we speak about these areas and in turn have noticed our hearts changing as well. Whether or not this made a difference to Baby Love was still an unknown until the other day.
During play time he picked up his "case" that he says is for "work", packed it up. Grabbed his favorite ball, said goodbye to his toys then with a huge and beaming smile on his face came to kiss me goodbye. I asked where he was going and he said "work", with a bright smile on his face! He proceeded to march to the door where he stood for a period of about 30 seconds. Then he turned and walked back into the room, put his "case" down where Kevin puts his briefcase when he gets home, and ran to kiss me hello. I thanked him for going to work and asked how it was. He replied "good!" with enthusiasm and joy. In response to me asking if he did any important work he hemmmed and replied "yeah". Then went about greeting his toys. We did this at least 20 times that day. Each time the joy and tenacity was there. It was a moment where all of our hard work and the listening to the tiny conviction in our hearts, were manifested and redeemed! What a wonderful moment! It made me sit and think about all of the other tough decisions we have made and I dreamt for a second of what those would look like when they too are redeemed. Only for a second though, for my little man was returning from work and wanted another kiss....
Around the start of this past year we were convicted over our word choice when talking about work and school. We realized that we were using a down tone and words like "have to" rather than "gets to". Now we all know why we did that, neither of us wanted him to be gone. At the time Baby Love was small enough that there wasn't anything he was doing that told us this needed to change, it was simply a quiet voice of conviction. We resolved to change how we spoke about these matters and to truly find in our hearts a grateful place from which to speak. For we are grateful he has a job. Incredibly grateful he is doing well in classes and gets to continue his studies. And equally blessed when he is able to be home with us.
We have successfully altered how we speak about these areas and in turn have noticed our hearts changing as well. Whether or not this made a difference to Baby Love was still an unknown until the other day.
During play time he picked up his "case" that he says is for "work", packed it up. Grabbed his favorite ball, said goodbye to his toys then with a huge and beaming smile on his face came to kiss me goodbye. I asked where he was going and he said "work", with a bright smile on his face! He proceeded to march to the door where he stood for a period of about 30 seconds. Then he turned and walked back into the room, put his "case" down where Kevin puts his briefcase when he gets home, and ran to kiss me hello. I thanked him for going to work and asked how it was. He replied "good!" with enthusiasm and joy. In response to me asking if he did any important work he hemmmed and replied "yeah". Then went about greeting his toys. We did this at least 20 times that day. Each time the joy and tenacity was there. It was a moment where all of our hard work and the listening to the tiny conviction in our hearts, were manifested and redeemed! What a wonderful moment! It made me sit and think about all of the other tough decisions we have made and I dreamt for a second of what those would look like when they too are redeemed. Only for a second though, for my little man was returning from work and wanted another kiss....
Post a Comment