I am not a great mother. I didn't grow up learning how to care for children and a home. The fact that this family resembles a family and this home doesn't cave in due to dust bunnies and debris is simply amazing. Somewhere along the way when we gave birth to the first fellow something just clicked in this mind..."he's important and he deserves something good from me" and the thoughts were repeated with each addition to the family. The idea of being there for them everyday wasn't something I learned, it was just logical to do that.
Little child put in my arms by a doctor, making funny noises, crying and making me cry because I don't know what to do...Each one was different so we never really had anything figured out. With each different personality came a different technique for dealing with those personalities. I knew early on of my desperate need for His help. He has been faithful for if you look at us from a distance we manage to resemble a family and if you come closer, you can see the love.
They have been shown love for years now and now they leave trails of it for us, like a flower girl dropping flower petals down an aisle. It's just who they are, and what's been pumped in coming out as a fountain...and right now Dad and I are the basins that catch most of that love.
They're far from sinless...actually terribly flawed like their parents, but they know how to love. Oldest girl knows how a Josh Groban song can be soothing for her mama, so while listening to Christmas music lately when his voice comes, she turns it up, not for her, for she doesn't like that, but for me...that's one way she loves. Little guy, when asked to bring me a blanket the other night, comes back with "here, I brought your special one", it was the one Oldest boy brought back from Honduras and it is special. They all love very well.
Most people who've received love tend to pour it back out. Do we take time to see it though? It takes watching them to really recognize that what they're doing is loving us. Sometimes love can easily be overlooked. A sweet act of love can be interpreted as simply what someone owes us and over years, as the love gifts are not valued, those precious ones may cease in the giving. Who wants to keep giving what is not appreciated? Well, there is One. He does that well to me for I have shown little acknowledgement to His great gifts of Love on many occasions, but He keeps giving.
I may have to make a caution sign for myself...a reminder to slow down and look for the love expressed, not just from them, but from Him too.
Angela, how insightful. Too often we do misread people's expression of love. We also misread God's expression of love to us especially when it doesn't go our way. You say it very well. I think we could all benefit from a caution sign to remind us to be more sensitive and responsive.
ReplyDeleteI like your writing and the topics you address. You write about the really IMPORTANT things of life. I like your subjects, style, content, and conviction. Your writing is inspirational and provocative. Pat
Your children have learned to love well Angel. Their outward expressions of love are precious inward signs of what's in their hearts.
ReplyDeleteWe should always be watching for those signs of love from our children AND our God. They are always there and always so sweet.