A super hero for God

Tonight my man-child is sick. When the boy is sick, he suffers. And, he lets you know how he suffers. And mom suffers too. It is truly a suffer-fest.

The last two nights he has overflowed with tears over his suffering...that he was too busy to notice earlier, but now he is in bed, and everything is still and quiet-he remembers how bad he feels. Tonight I was trying to give him his nebulizer treatment (asthma medicine) and with the tears overflowing, and the nose running...it just wasn't happening.

In the midst of trying to get him settled and medicated, Demi asked me in a pleading, mom-you-steered-me-wrong, voice..."Mommy, I prayed and asked and asked God to make me better, and He didn't." (Demi used to be really into wishes, cataloging and pondering what kind of wishes had what kind of granting power, but this year he has moved up into prayer-big time)

I talked to my Son about God always hearing us and answering our prayers, but to remember that He is God, and He has a perfect will for us, and sometimes what we want isn't what God wants for us. I told him that maybe God would like you to learn how to have a happy heart even when you feel really yukky and sick. Maybe God wants you to learn to be brave so you will grow up a strong, brave and true man. Maybe if you didn't have to be brave, right this minute when you feel so sick, your courage muscles wouldn't grow strong as they need to be when you are big.

He pondered this and grew quiet, but then told me "At grandpa's party, a man said that God just gave up... maybe God gave up on my prayer." He was speaking of his grandpa's memorial service, it took me a moment to realize what he was talking about. I instantly told him, "God never fails, never gives up, He is always strong and able and willing to do so much more than we can imagine. God's answer for you right now is for you to be sick, and to learn to trust him and to be brave."

I left the room for a moment, and when I came back, Sky was tucking him in. I walked in, just in time to hear Demi say-"I'm still sick because God wants me to grow up to be a super hero."

So there you have it. I just love my boy.

when you thought I wasn't looking...

this came by way of Kelly at A Spacious place, go visit her and see another sweet piece she did on 1Cor. 13 for mothers -I'm unable to link it for some reason, go over and choose November in her archives!

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you feed a stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.

when you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make my favorite cake for me and I learned that little things can be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I heard you say a prayer, and I knew there is a God I could always talk to and I learned to trust in God.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you give of your time and money to help people who had nothing and I learned that those who have something should give to those who don't.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I felt you kiss me good night and I felt loved and safe.

when you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it and I learned we have to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw how you handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't feel good and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.

when you thought I wasn't looking, I saw tears come from your eyes and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw that you cared and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I learned most of life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I looked at you and wanted to say, thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking.

author unknown.

I know I need to slow down and pray that I live Christ to my children, even through these hectic and busy holiday seasons. Peace and serenity to all of you, my bloggy friends.

You were real to the Boy...

"Wasn't I Real before?" asked the little Rabbit. "You were Real to the boy," the Fairy said, "because he loved you." -The Velveteen Rabbit

This post has been rattling around in my head for a while now, so I thought that tonight on the occasion of my man-child's 7th birthday, I would share this memory I treasure of my son.

This summer I took all four kids with me to a used homeschool curriculum sale. This sale was held at a homeschool store that also offers classes to homeschoolers. They have a playground next to the store, and so, having been there before and having had my kids very welcomed on the playground in the past, I left them there to play while I browsed the books for sale on the lawn. A lady connected with the store saw at one point that all of the mothers sitting around the playground had drifted away, and since my two youngest were the only ones in the yard she thought maybe she should let me know.

The conversation went something like this...Lady: "Who's your mommy?" Demi: "mommy". Lady: "what is your mommy's name so I can go find her?" Demi: "mommy." Lady: "what is your last name?" Demi said our last name, which sounds like a common first name but is spelled differently. Lady tried again: "what do your mommy's friends call her?" Demi: "Mrs. (blank)" she tried again: "what does your dad call her?" Demi-looking puzzled: "Mommy" (not true, not sure why he answered that way). Finally the lady asked "what does your mommy look like, so I can go find her?"

Demi: "she's wearing a dress, she has long hair and blue eyes, and she's beautiful!" this part said in a stage whisper, as if he was imparting a wonderful, exciting secret.

This sweet dear lady did find me. And she took the time to tell me all that had unfolded. I got teary eyed and thanked her from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to share this with me. I treasure this because I am with my kids all the time as a homeschool mom and I am on the front lines as a disciplinarian, and with the unending questions, the chatter, the disagreements. Sometimes I feel like I spend much of my time correcting, ordering, instructing, wondering if my negative interactions are outweighing my positive interactions. This memory means so much to me because it paints a picture of how my son sees me. I am so grateful that to him, mother represents beauty.

"They were all growing so fast. In just a few short years they would all be young men and women...youth tiptoe...expectant...a-star with its sweet wild dreams...little ships sailing out of safe harbour to unknown ports. The boys would go away to their life work and the girls...ah, the mist-veiled forms of beautiful brides might be seen coming down the old stairs at Ingleside.
But they would be still hers for a few years yet...hers to love and guide...to sing the songs that so many mothers had sung." -Anne Of Ingleside

Happy Birthday Demi, Mommy loves you more than she could ever tell.