It's The Little Things

When Caileigh and Collin were born, their beloved Alex and Miss Mo got them little on the go blankies. Caileigh's was a soft pink silk and Collin's a soft blue silk. Collin loved his from the get go. He loved to rub his "silky" between his thumb and pointer finger and then suck his other thumb. It was it his happy place, his "all is right in the world" place. By year two, we had Alex get him another one as he had worn through the first one. Then he took Cailiegh's by year three. He didn't care if it was pink. It felt like silky and it was all good. Through the years, Collin has wheedled Grammy into putting new linings on it. He stopped sucking his thumb long ago but silky is important to this texture sensitive little man.

Several weeks ago, he came to me upset because silky was once again worn through. I explained to him that it might be time to put silky away but he was so horrified by my suggestion that he took silky quickly back to his room where it was safe. While I was gone to homeschool convention he enlisted his sister's help to find, cut and pin new material to silky. They carefully cut out the label to pin to the front, "just so everyone would know that it's still silky" and handed it to me when I got home. He asked if I would sew it for him. I told him that I would later in the week and he thanked me and hopped off. (Collin doesn't walk anywhere, he hops, jumps, skips or runs - there is no walking)

I put the silky on the linen closet and went off to do something important, like laundry. I have been really busy doing important stuff - like laundry, cleaning packing Scott off to China, going to conventions and Collin hasn't once reminded me of my promise or whined or complained, he just waited.

Tonight as we got from Bible Bowl and Rush Hour at church I saw the silky and decided that I might as well get it done. I pulled out the sewing machine and got to work. It probably took me 10 minutes, less time than it took me to write this post. I went to his room and gave it to him. My sweet little man jumped up and gave me a huge hug and said, "Thank you, Mommy. I know you are busy so thanks for fixing it for me." He then proceeded to pray over me and thank God that his Mom fixed his silky.

I am once again humbled by my children. They take what I have to give with grateful and loving hearts. Even when what I have to give isn't so great at all. I forget that it's in the little things. The times I stop to read a book with them or have a moment to chat with them or when I make their favorite cookies, they are always ready to meet me with a loving heart. I think God's like that too. My children teach me about God and His loving heart, everyday. Today, it was through an old, well-loved worn silky.

Categories: parenting

Pianos with a Purpose

One of Connor's friends came up with a plan to raise money for children in Ethiopia and asked Connor to be involved. Connor is really a follower at heart but he loved K's plan so he jumped right in. Their band of friends ( I call them K's minions) are all pianists so they decided to throw a benefit concert. K and her lovely mother put it all together, Connor made a program, Caileigh and I made cookies, and Collin and K's brothers were the ushers. They had 5 or 6 performers who were all in middle school and they put on a beautiful concert to raise money for an orphange in Ethiopia and money to help build another very much needed well. It was beautifully done. People came, the kids played and they raised several thousand dollars. That's right, middle schoolers put together and played in piano benefit concert to change their world.
These kids responded to what they had been hearing in in their home schools (although not all of them are home schooled), church and Sunday School class and decided to put others first and do something to change someone else's life. We hear so much about teens being selfish and unkind but here was a concrete example of teens believing that God's word is true and that they have a responsibility to be God's hands in this world and they used the talents God gave them to do so. Amazing.
Our job as parents is to tell them that they can change the world and support them when they want to. I want my kids to be world changers. I want them to be servants. I want them to listen to God's voice and obey it.
I want to be just like them and change the world.
Categories: parenting