Category Archives: Children

Climbing High

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My favorite season has come to an end, and Labor Day tells me so. But I can’t complain. We’ve had an abundance of beach days during this hot, sunny summer. And with a steady stream of visitors, there have been lots of excuses to plunk our beach chairs on the sand for unhurried conversations – not to mention group swims, walks along the shore, and hunts for pretty stones.

Sand duneThere is one beach activity, though, that’s not quite so easy. Here on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, we enjoy big silky sand dunes that bring vacationing families from far and wide to play on them. The dunes get a little bigger each year, too, depending on how dry the beach sand is and how stiff the winds. One dune nearby has risen to 260 feet and offers a strenuous workout to get to the top. Then, running downhill is a thrill as gravity morphs footsteps into giant airborne leaps.

Hannah and Weezi fly“It’s like flying!” the kids say.

The only catch: you have to climb to the top first.

Trudging up a steep dune isn’t easy. Michigan sand is winnowed by westward winds till it becomes fine granules that roll easily underfoot. On a sharp incline, every step can move a climber farther back than forward. At best it’s three steps up, two down.

But after many decades of hiking on sand dunes, I have one piece of helpful advice: as you climb, step into the footprints of someone else. It’ll give you the best odds for minimal slipping, since someone else’s body weight has already caused the sand to slide. And by the way, the fresher the print, the more sure your step will be.

God gave us some similar advice long ago. He said that if we follow in his footsteps, our progress through life will be good. We’ll back-slide less and arrive quicker where we ought to be. And he makes one last point — the fresher his imprint, the better for us. So, following closely is always a good idea.

IMG_4079When we do, he might even let us fly!

“Direct my footsteps according to your Word.” (Psalm 119:133)

Meeting a Need

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I love my kitchen sink. It’s flush with the countertop, making it easy to wipe surface debris straight toward the disposal. It’s deep, it’s double, and best of all, it’s a significant upgrade from the sink I had when we lived in Illinois.

IMG_4042That sink was only 7” deep (barely big enough for a baby’s bottom), and despite being stainless steel, it was stained…. and dark with age. I hated that sink – but how well I remember the day it went from low-status to high, in one instant.

It had been been a rough day for me with a house full of children and their endless demands, bookended by a rebelling teen and an irritable 9-month-old.

Since the baby’s fussing wouldn’t let me make dinner, I put her in a backpack, trying to ignore her kicks-to-the-kidneys as she objected to being confined. That’s when I saw a fresh batch of scratches on my old stainless sink.

Immediately the accumulated frustrations of the day morphed into hot anger as I tried to guess which one of my children had dared to vandalize my already-pathetic sink. Grabbing the dish rag and attempting to rub away the scratches, I realized they were actually small letters. The vandal, whoever it was, had stood at the sink and carved…. “I love Mom.”

Instantly my anger dissolved in a deep sigh. I set the rag aside and traced the scratchy words with my finger. As the poignant message flowed into me, the accumulated tensions of the day flowed out.

Christians often say, “God will meet our needs.” That can sound generic, but when push comes to shove (as it had for me that day), he comes through in some very clever ways. Those small scratched words helped me in a way nothing else could have in that high-stress moment. And the comfort they gave lasted far longer than just that day.

Those three words continued to be an ongoing encouragement through 11 more years of working at that old sink. And when I found out the vandal had been my rebelling teen, it meant all the more. Though he couldn’t say it out loud back then, he’d found a way to let me know that through all our ups and downs, he still loved me.

IMG_4034Eventually we remodeled our 20-year-old kitchen, and the old sink was removed. But as I work in my current kitchen, I’m always reminded of the scratched words that ministered to me from an old “stainless” sink.

My God will supply every need of yours…. (Philippians 4:19)

Wall-Art

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Years ago, Nate and I invited a couple over for dinner, friends since college. Through the course of the evening, we spent time in the kitchen, dining room, and living room, and as they were leaving the husband said, “You know, I just noticed something. The only thing hanging on your walls is your family. It’s all pictures of kids!”

Nate and I laughed and said something like, “And that’s some pretty valuable wall-art.”

Most parents enjoy showing off their children with photos throughout the house, and we were no exception. But what does a parent do when the group expands as grandchildren come along? Eventually we either take down the pictures of our own kids to make way for our grands, or we move to a house with more wall space.

As our family has increased, I’ve decided to solve the space problem by putting all my grandchildren into one frame with multiple openings. First it was 4 of them, then 6, and then 8, which meant buying a larger picture frame every year or two – a happy task.

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When purchasing my most recent frame, though, I got smart. As my 10th grandchild was being announced, I bought a frame with 12 openings, trying to get ahead of the game. My strategy paid off as grandchild #11 was announced less than a year later. But there was still one opening left.

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Recently, we were surprised with the thrilling news that another little face would, indeed, by joining the other 11 in that frame. Katy and Hans will be sending photos of a new baby-Nyman in January, completing the set of 12.

I look at these happy faces many times each day, wondering how their lives will go…. and also wondering where I’ll find a frame with 13 or 14 openings, if needed! But I thank God for each one and have committed to praying for them all, claiming glorious promises over them, even those yet unborn.

For example: “I pray that you, Lord, would never be far from these children. Be their strength, and always go quickly to help them.” (Psalm 22:19)

And another: “May each one trust in you, Lord, at all times and feel free to pour out their hearts to you, understanding that you are their refuge.” (Psalm 62:8)

One more: “Create pure hearts within each one, O God, and continually renew steadfast spirits within them.” (Psalm 51:10)

Gazing at my wall-art of grandchildren brings them close to me, even when they’re miles away. But praying for them does something even better than that. It transports us all into God’s throne room, a supernatural togetherness like no other.

So they are together in my wall-art, together in God’s hands, and together in my heart.

“Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)