Lessons in Eternity... From a Toddler

For those who can't keep up, Little One is our youngest- she is about 20 months right now. Apple is our second-born- she is 6. The other day, I was upstairs sorting laundry, and Apple and Little One were downstairs in our dining room. The spot where I was sitting provided me full access to hear everything going on with them. Apple was working on her Valentines for her class, and Little One kept trying to climb up onto the table and get to them. Now Apple is a GREAT big sister- she loves Little One, loves to play with her and help out with her, but she was getting frustrated and annoyed. After listening for a little bit, I finally called down, "Apple, she just wants the suckers you are attaching. Give her one of your extras and she'll leave you alone." Apple replied, "Mom, I don't have any extras- I gave them all to C-Ray." Pleased with her reason for not having any extras, I said, "You can give her one of Faithie's - her box is in the kitchen."

My intent was for Apple to either give Little One one of her own, then go get one of Faithie's to replace it, or to go by herself into the kitchen and get one, and bring it to Little One. But, in typical 6 year old fashion, Apple had her own plan. I begin to hear her say, "Come on, Little One. Let's go in the kitchen and get you a sucker! ...Come on!... Let's go!... We'll get you one from the kitchen... Little One... Mom, she's not coming!" Chuckling, I thought to myself, "Yeah, good luck with that, Apple- getting a toddler to leave the candy she can see to follow you for something she can't see." Suddenly, the gravity of that thought hit me.

That is exactly what we are called to do as Christians- forsake the tangible rewards and desires of this world, to follow something completely intangible- a God whom we have never seen with our eyes, based on a promise of things to come in heaven, and a faith that we truly will find fulfillment in this life by doing it His way. And, like my irrational toddler, how stubborn we are in our view of the tangible objects of our affection. We refuse to listen to the promises of God through Scripture and the wise counsel and instruction of those who know more than we do, which would actually help us attain the things that will satisfy our souls. Instead, we staunchly hold fast to our desire for worldly things we can't attain, and that wouldn't truly satisfy us even if we did.

As I sat upstairs listening, I kept thinking how foolish my Little One was being- to stay focused on something that she was never going to get, when Apple was promising her exactly what she wanted, she simply had to trust and follow to receive it. How must God view us- with our foolish stubborness leading us to frustration and emptiness, when all we have to do is simply trust and follow Him?

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."
Jim Elliot

Public Service Reminder

A four year old boy plus a can of soda stolen from the fridge without permission plus a cable box will result in an inconvenient trip to the cable store to get a new one.

Which Animal Says...

Yesterday, Little One was laying on the floor while I changed her diaper. Apple was sitting next to her, showing her a book of animals and telling her what each says. Little One was doing a great little job repeating all of her moos, quacks, and chirps. Then Apple coughed, and Little One repeated her with the cutest little fake cough!

Addendum

A follow-up note to the story of C-Ray saying that the cleaning aisle at Wal-Mart smelled like Aunt J: Apple was not with us that day and had no idea that he had ever made that comment. She did come with us this week, and as we walked down that aisle, she said, "Mom, it smells really good right here. It smells like Aunt J's house!"

Old as the Hills

This morning, as I was combing Faithie's hair for school, she asks me, "Mom, did they have a vaccine for chickenpox when you were born?" I replied, "No, it hadn't been invented yet." Her answer? "Yeah, I didn't think so. We learned in school that way back in the old days, like when you were little, they didn't have the vaccine for chickenpox yet." Gee, thanks...

In the Mind of a Four Year Old Boy

Some recent conversations with C-Ray:

We were in his room getting pj's on. Mack had indeed come home, but I'm not sure if Colin saw him or not.
Colin: "It smells like Dad is home."
Me: "Oh really? What does Dad smell like?"
Colin: "Strawberries."

At Wal-Mart (the very next day), we were walking down the cleaning/air fresheners aisle.
Colin: "Mmmm... it smells good right here."
Me: "What does it smell like?"
Colin: "Aunt J"
I'm pretty sure he meant Aunt J'shouse, not Aunt J herself, but it was still good for a chuckle.

Colin steps on the bathroom scale and exclaims, "Mom! I got even taller!"

The Face of Christmas

I thought this picture captured Christmas to a child so perfectly- sheer joy and pure wonder all wrapped up in a bow underneath a twinkling Christmas tree.

Below are some other fun "faces" of my family on Christmas morning.

Other Expressions of Christmas

"I can't believe I actually got something that was on my list!"

"Dad says we better get this paper cleaned up NOW if we want our last present!"

"I like it, but it's not doing anything yet."

"I like it, but I really can't figure it out."

More Expressions of Christmas

"It's too early and I need some coffee."

"I have no idea what's going on, but someone with a camera called my name so I guess I'll look at them."

"If I could just figure out how to get these skates apart, I could really have some fun."

"Look out, world- here I come!"

It's a Wonderful Life

We've had a marvelous Christmas/birthdays/New Year's week. We had our first Christmas with "just us." While it was very different and a little sad to not be surrounded by moms, dads, brothers, sisters, grandmas, grandpas, and cousins, it was also nice to be home and show the kids that tradition isn't just something that we do with our "big" family, but that is important when it's "just us," too.

After Christmas Eve service at church, I put together the last few things for the traditional "Mack family" Christmas Eve supper. The kids put on their pj's and then we did the candles- another Christmas Eve tradition from Macks's side of the family- where one by one we each light a candle and share what the Lord has done for us, in us, and through us during the past year, things we are thankful for, favorite memories from the year, etc. Then Mack read the Christmas story out of Luke, and then "The Night Before Christmas," which is something I remember quite vividly from my childhood- my parents reading us Christmas stories, both true and fantastical on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. We put out cookies for Santa and carrots for his reindeer and the kids went off to dream of sugarplums.

Christmas morning, the kids opened presents and we had the traditional "Wife's family" breakfast. Then we surprised them with a new kitten, whom they named Jingles. He's pretty cute and they are enjoying him immensely. All of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day I thought to myself, "It really doesn't get any better than this." I am building a life with a wonderful man whom I love so deeply, and we have four beautiful, smart, happy, and some-what well-behaved children. I have a personal relationship with the God who holds all things in the palm of His hand, and have peace and rest in His goodness and sovereignty. In a turbulent world and troublesome economy, He has seen fit to bless us with a stable job, nice home, and everything we need.

Macks's mom and dad, brother (Uncle M), sister-in-law (Aunt J), and niece (yet to be blog-named- I'll have to work on that one) arrived on the 27th and we celebrated Apple's 6th birthday. We then celebrated Mack's 30th on the 28th and Unlce M and Aunt J (unfortunately) had to return home that day- we wished they could've stayed longer! Mom and Dad, however, got to stay with us a few extra days and just left this morning. The kids always love having Grandma and Grandpa here to play, and Mack and I always love having them too! All in all, we've had a pretty wonderful last week of 2008, which is fitting, because it's been a very good year- full of trials from which we have grown in faith, full of blessings in which we have rejoiced, full of reminders of God's faithfulness and goodness.