I Will....with God's help.

A good friend, whose parenting is one I admire and aspire to, told me how she takes her 5th grade  son out to lunch on Fridays.  My reaction was "You can do that?" So much of the time I feel like my kids are part of a 'system' I have no control over.  Lisa answered a resounding, "You are the parent, the child is yours...you make the decision".  What wise words those were!  

SO, I decided to follow her lead.  I told my daughter, Katie, to call me when she got to school this morning and tell me what time her lunch period is.  I knew asking her to do this was a tall order.  She is literally scared to death of the telephone and in front of her classmates....that's even worse.  She answered that she would just eat at school.  At that moment, I had a choice to make.  I could say, "Okay, your choice" and walk out of the room.  I could also take this opportunity to  make this moment a 'teachable' moment.  As a teacher, we always had to think of what the 'currency' or 'kid buy in' would be in order to plan effective behavior management.  I always had a problem with this concept...mainly because I have always the 'currency' is our heart....but another story in itself.  

I decided to use it as a teachable moment.  If you know my daughter you will know that what she treasures most ( her currency)  is her bible, and this little cross she carries with her...always.  I have to be honest, and humble, when I say sometimes her honest sense of God in her life worries me.  When will her faith test her and will she be strong enough to stand by her beliefs?

I told Katie, "You know that little cross that you love so much?  Do you think that if you hold on to that and ask Mr. O if you can call home...would that help you?"  I really did not know what her answer would be.  She looked up, smiled at me and said, "Yes!".  This little 8 year old --that would rather miss lunch with her mom or a play date to avoid a dreaded use of the phone....just answered, "Sure, I can do that...with God's help".

At that moment....I was taught a lesson.  What would my life be like if I said "Yes!...with God's help".  What could I accomplish?  Who could I help?  What difference in this world would I have the strength to conquer?  I was also reminded that when this little girl of mine was baptised I stood before Pastor Jack and answered his question of "Will you we raise this little child entrusted to you  to know God, to love God and to serve God?"   I answered,"I will...with God's help".  This morning in her room.....I followed through with that promise....with God's help.  

 

I Will....with God's help....down  'Love Ave.'  

Journey down Love Ave. #1

I woke up again with a mind full of 'aha's.  This Love Ave. I am going down is taking me to a place called Unconditional Love Alley.  Down this 'alley'  I find that people love each other just because they can.  I keep being reminded of a word I learned from Desmond Tutu- Ubuntu.  In its essense is "I am because We are".  It speaks to being connected...each and everyone of us. What alarmed me is that if "I" really "Am" than life just got more interesting.  You see, in the rat race, crazy world we all live in it is so easy to not be connected. We can say 'we are', because we wake up next to someone, get our kids off to school, talk to people at the grocery store, on the phone, at a restaurant.  But are we always listening?  Are we always connecting?  Are we sometimes just moving through the motions without paying attention to being connected?  I wonder.

I friend recently told me that "How do we teach paradise to our children when they are already living in it?".  Those words have stirred a pot for me.  How is it that we are called to love others as ourselves;  love our neighbor so to speak.  How is it that we know this guy named Jesus unconditionally  loved, and therefore healed, so many.  He loved those that had different color skin, different beliefs, diseases we can only imagine...truly only imagine.  He lived at a time and place that would not always be described as paradise.  

Flash forward to today....my children wake up in a warm bed, two parents that love them, a hot breakfast, a kiss and hug and a blessing as they go off into the world each day.  How do I teach them about this heaven place?  Why would they want to set their treasure on that place?  This place is pretty darn good.  When they become adults, that little bubble breaks....and the reality here on earth will hit them in the face if they are not prepared.  I want them prepared and equipped for that time....but how do I do it?  Any ideas?  I do not know, but I am sure it begins with Love.  How do I teach my children to love others- those considered untouchables- those living in places we could only describe as pure hell (amazingly these same people might describe their situation as filled with joy--and that is another blog post for sure)? 

As I ask these questions I am reminded of an action of my oldest just this week.  Katie took the noun LOVE and made it an action word so beautifully and humbly.  Her little brother was sick, sleeping on the couch.  She came in, with her little glass pocket cross she so excitedly bought with her own money last week and placed it on Ben's chest...and then sat on the floor next to him.  It was something to witness...and all from an eight year old.  She is a light in my life.  I am blessed to be her mom for sure. 

I wonder if those AIG exec and the bankers and all of us put Love-ubuntu- God first, at our center, and then wealth down a notch.  Would we be where we are today?  

Off to run.....and I am heading down to the fork in the road in which I need to decide if I am going to LOVE because it feels warm and fuzzy and easy or because it is unconditional...taking and accepting everyone where they are on their own journey...and just love.  Can you guess which road I am going to take?  Maybe my next entry will explain a little more what happened down Unconditional Love Alley.  Peace, Joy and Love!  Lulu