Category Archives: Children

But Mom….

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Found...by the disciplesAlthough motherhood is a big commitment, the Lord promises to be our co-parent. Jesus is an excellent mothering example, despite not having been a mother. In the New Testament he referred to his disciples as children and often handled them (and others) in mother-like ways:

  • He worked hard to get time alone. We read, “Jesus went off to the mountain, and they found him…” or “Jesus got up a long while before dawn, but they searched for him…” or “Soon afterward, Jesus went… and his disciples and a large crowd went with him.” (Sound familiar?)
  • He often said, “Don’t you remember?” or “I already told you!” or “Don’t you understand?” It seems these 12 men only listened half-way. (Ring a bell?)
  • He taught, healed, listened, traveled (all on foot with only rare opportunities to sit down), and washed feet. (Sound like bath time?)
  • People pushed Jesus, ran after him, plunked children on his lap, and grabbed his clothes. (Strike a chord?) His response was never to resist but to reach out to these same people with help.
  • Jesus had to deal with bickering between his disciples on dozens of occasions: “Who’s the greatest? Who gets to sit by you? Why do you fuss over those children? Why don’t we have anything to eat? Where will we get some money?” (Remind you of anything?)
  • Jesus used every question as a teachable moment, turning the challenge back on them by asking his own questions. (Recognize that challenge?)
  • Jesus’ entire ministry was a string of interruptions. We read, “He was on the way, when…” (Interruptions = irritation?) He always stopped what he was doing for face-to-face encounters.
  • Jesus had people peppering him with demands as he walked along, as he entered the temple, as he preached, and as he tried to get away from the crowds: “Jesus, heal me! Jesus, you must come with me! Jesus, just say the word! Jesus, how can I be saved?” (Are your ears burning?) He always responded with patient love.
  • Jesus always forgave. (…not always easy for moms)

Washing of feetSo Jesus was, indeed, a wonderful mothering example, even referring to himself as “like a mother hen” gathering her chicks around her.

We know we can’t do it as well as Jesus did, but there are a million ways to try, and striving toward his example is a good place to start.

We do get credit for one parenting characteristic we have in common with Jesus, however. He and we would lay down our lives for our children. The only difference is, he actually did.

“We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters [and children].” (1 John 3:16)

No new prayer requests for Mary tonight (a praise!). We’ll update you as needs arise.

Don’t fence me in.

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On the way.Today was a sunshiney day, so 7 of us took advantage and went to the beach. Emerald loves it there, and we had a good time dodging small waves, pouring water, and burying tiny pink toes in the sand. Each time we go to the beach, though, she has a strange ritual. As we’re on the boardwalk headed toward the sand, she stops repeatedly to play with the fence, endlessly fascinated with squeezing the flexible cables.

I have a hard time coaxing her to head for the water and sand. After all, there’s the slow-flowing creek to dabble in, sand cakes to make (and smash), seagulls to chase, and pretty stones to collect. And yet, unable to see all this from the walkway, Emerald gets waylaid by the cables every time.

???????????????????????????????But don’t we all do that now and then? It’s especially true in the spiritual realm. We get excited about spending time on all kinds of temporal things and lose sight of eternal ones. We might devote hours to chatting with good friends but only minutes with the Friend of Scripture. We find chunks of time for pleasure reading but ignore Bible reading when that could be pleasurable, too.

Why is this? Maybe we have good intentions, recognizing the importance of prayer and Bible reading, but are waiting for circumstances to be just right before starting. I’ve done plenty of that in my day. Maybe we think prayer and Bible study need to be done in partnership with other people and no one else is available when we are. Or we may lead lives of continual interruptions, thinking that so many disturbances would be an insult to such lofty spiritual disciplines.

Or we might just feel plain old incompetent.

I don’t think God gets angry with us when we have trouble getting past the “cable fences” of life to get to the wonders of him and his Word, but it’s possible he feels bad for us. He knows we’re missing out and wishes we’d come closer to receive everything he wants to show us and give us.

If I let Emerald play with the cable fence to her heart’s content without insisting we continue on toward the beach, she might enjoy herself there for a while and then turn back toward home, thinking she’d had a great afternoon.

Digging inBut today, for example, as we emerged from the walkway to that great expanse of shoreline, she raised her arm, pointed, and said, “Wa-wa! Wa-wa!” That’s when she realized it had been worthwhile leaving the fence.

Jesus prayed, “O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know you, but I do. I have revealed you to [my followers], and I will continue to do so.” (John 17:25-26)

Praising and Praying with Mary

  1. Though I haven’t had the vomiting after this week’s chemo as I had before, a mild nausea seems to be hanging on, taking away my appetite. Please pray it will disappear.
  2. I’m thankful for a day in Michigan with several of our grandchildren.

Reaching Up

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Veggie TalesEmerald has discovered TV, and of the few videos she’s seen, Veggie Tales is her favorite. Even if we’re in the kitchen and I begin humming the Veggie Tales theme song far from the television, she immediately goes into a bouncy little dance, pumping clenched fists up and down in a move her Auntie Louisa taught her.

My supply of children’s TV is all on VHS tapes, but thankfully we still have the old VCR, and so far so good. I like Veggie Tales because they focus on teaching character traits, using Bible stories (and vegetables) to flesh them out. Emerald isn’t partial to one tape over another, as long as they all include the music she loves.

photo 3(1)My TV is mounted five feet high in a purposeful move to prevent the 90 curious fingers of 9 grandchildren (ages 5 and under) from reaching the controls. Poor little Emerald has to crane her neck straight up to watch Veggie Tales, but that hasn’t stopped her from bonding with Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber.

Once in a while, when the TV is off and she’s nearby, she’ll reach up, look at the black screen and say, “Bob?” hoping he might appear. I sometimes wonder what’s going on in her head with the complicated reality of television bumping up against her non-existent understanding.

Maybe that’s how it is between us and God. We try to understand everything Scripture says about him, but it’s all fairly complicated and beyond our reach. Certain parts of the Bible have stymied scholars for centuries, and even when all sides of the debate are presented, we still walk away scratching our heads. We’d like to “get it,” but generally the only thing we “get” is confused.

photo 2(3)Maybe it’s enough if we just keep watching and reaching the way Emerald does. She looks at the screen and sees Bob and Larry there, not caring about the how or why.  And when the TV is off, she’s eagerly anticipating the next time she’ll be together with them.

The same holds true for us. We don’t need to understand the how or why behind a complex God who is well beyond our understanding. We just need to keep looking up, keep reaching for him, and eagerly anticipating the next time we’ll be together.

“Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

Praising and Praying with Mary

  1. Thankful tonight for people willing to donate leftover tube feeding formula. At $900 every month, that’s a big savings.
  2. Please continue to pray for an earlier appointment with the tube specialist to ease discomfort. Still scheduled for July 2.