children

Recently, we had a Christmas party at our house. We planned food and activities and set out to relax with friends. What we did not realize was that in just the passing of one year from last years’ party, the number of kids at the party had more than doubled! Whereby the previous year, the focus was more on the adults, this year that proved to be almost impossible as they almost outnumbered us! People walked away from the party saying that they had had a good time, but my hubby and I quickly agreed that if we were to do it again the following year, we would need to run it vastly different!

I had created a play area for the kids upstairs and asked our loving parents if they would take turns upstairs. They graciously agreed, and I didn’t consider for a moment that it wouldn’t work. Grown up time. Grown up games. Grown up conversations. Grown up fun. hahahahahahahahahahaaa! What actually happened, was the kids were uncontainable! Their enthusiasm and energy ran rampant and slowed down and interrupted plans again and again and again. And guess what?

That’s okay.

Again and again the theme replayed itself for the next two weeks. Another party that was just a touch different with the multiplication of our collective children. Days that I was unable to accomplish my plans because a child didn’t nap, or my four month old was fussy, or one of my munchkins needed lots of extra snuggles. Even at church lately my quieter moments have vanished as Aurora has been joining us in the sanctuary due to a funk she has been going through. My days are filled with toddlers crawling on my lap asking to be tickled, feeling lucky if i don’t smell like spit up by the end of the day, and cherishing laying in bed with my hubby whispering back and forth praying our temperamental cherub doesn’t awaken for the fourth time in the last half an hour. Even now, I am typing with one hand, and rocking said cherub with the other, as sleeping more than 15 minutes did not fit her fancy this evening.

And yes, that’s okay.

I’m not saying that we need to live child-centered lives all the time because I don’t think that is healthy. I know I desperately need that grown up time and quiet time for my sanity (it’s amazing…some days toward the end of lunch and right before naptime I am thinking….”ahhhhhhh!!!! I’m going to kill them!!!!!!!”…twoish hours later I am saying…”awww…come here! Did you have a good nap?” Breaks are important!!!!) What I am saying though, is that my mindset is vastly different than Jesus when I view kids as an annoyance or interruption.

“People were bringing the little children to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. When Jesus saw this, He was indignant and told them, ‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it (mark 10:13-15).”

I love this passage. It challenges me so very much. In the midst of Jesus’ busy preaching, healing, and world changing ministry, he was not too busy for kids. In fact, he was deeply frustrated that the disciples would think to turn them away! He not only paused to love and pray for them, but he lifted them up as an example to all of us of how to approach God. Humble. Trusting. Enthusiastically. Kids teach us so much and I have much to still learn. I want to grow to see more and more clearly the great gift in having my days surrounded with kids. Do you remember the WWJD (what would Jesus do?) fad? I think I need that a little more throughout my day.

WWJD when blessed (doesn’t feel like a blessing at the time!) with yet another correctional/teaching moment for the hour?

WWJD when I hear the chair scrapping up beside me at the stove because my daughter wants to help me with dinner, but I don’t want to be slowed down?

WWJD when something of mine is carelessly broken and I look down at a little face and make the choice between a gracious response or a frustrated one?

WWJD when I want to just hurry through bedtime routine, but I recognize that my child is longing for a little extra attention?

wwjd when my shift key barely works anymore because kids keep touching the computer even though i tell them a million times a week not to touch it? just kidding. but seriously. 😉

I think it is time for me to revisit the WWJD fad or remember the verse painted on the canvas in my living room…” Imitate God in everything you do because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ (Ephesians 5:1-2).”

In this season of life, loving little children is my job description most of waking hours. But, it is a good job. And I am thankful that Jesus will continue to patiently teach me how to be more like Him as I continue down the journey of motherhood.

I love my daughter to death. I like making her giggle and enjoy snuggle time. I must confess though…I am not one of those “rock baby to sleep” parents. Part of me likes the idea of her teaching herself to fall asleep on her own, and the other part of me is a little too impatient to wait out all her wiggles and curiousity before she falls asleep. In light of this, my normal strategy is to feed her, swaddle her, give her some snuggles, and then lay her down. Sometimes I have to come back in the room a time or two to help her find the pacifier she has lost from pulling it out and in of her mouth a hundred times, but overall, she normally does great unless she is in a funk.

Two nights ago was a funk night.

I “replugged” her pacifier a few times. I played her mobile a few more times. 45+ minutes of back and forth from the room happened. I was getting worn out and ready to try something new. So I pulled her out of her crib and swayed in the rocking chair with her in the darkened room. She was still wide awake–craning her head to look at everything possible in the darkness–so I just pulling her close and started kissing her. It was then that I think God gave me a gift.

I had the idea to kiss her to sleep.

So from the top of her forehead to the tip of her nose, I kissed up and down while she closed her eyes (granted, she was probably closing them to keep from being poked in the eye, but I digress). After about 10 minutes she was fast asleep.

What a precious gift to slow down and make a special memory with my daughter…and what fun it will be to tell her one day of the night I kissed her to sleep.

Life is too short to not love intentionally at times.

“You do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4:14)

Love someone well today. Love your spouse, your child, your friend, your parent, your coworker, your neighbor…whoever needs that extra something. You will likely both be blessed if you do.