Treasures from a nature walk -- some you see and some you can't

I believe everyone goes through it every once in a while.  The past few days, it's been me.

I've been in a bit of a funk.

It's weird. Nothing is 'wrong'. Most things are, well--right, actually. I feel close to the Lord, to my kids and my husband, we have everything we could possibly need, we are healthy...the list could go on.

{his "hugest" leaf--an oak}

I couldn't put my finger on what was up, but Wednesday night in my ladies Bible study, Beth Moore smacked me upside the head with it. (High five if you LOVE that woman too.)

Even if you are not a Christian, stick with me here for a moment.

{seeds from a sweet gum tree--referred to by E as "spiky bombs"}

I am doing the study of Esther, and we were discussing how Esther's circumstances of being an orphan had radically affected her life. Beth had done an internet survey, inviting women of all walks of life to talk about some of their situations, and she was reading one of the ladies' survey questions aloud.

One of them went something like this: I feel like the jobs I am doing every day at home as a wife/mother don't matter--and at the same time, I feel guilty for wishing for significance, recognition, and importance.

{the maple tree seeds--he intends to plant his own tree}

Beth talked about the things that that mother probably did daily: wiped snot, cleaned up toys or throw up or toys or dirty dishes or toys, broke up arguments, fed others numerous meals (oh, and cleaned up after each one, too) and got up sometimes countless times a night to deal with who-knows-what. Things that don't seem at all like they make a difference--let alone are glamorous.

{the entire haul from his bucket}

Until, one day, tragedy strikes; and, out of the blue--that mother is gone.

Boy, are those 'insignificant' things that she did awfully noticeable now, once she is not there to do them on a daily basis.

{beautiful huge acorns}

That hit me so hard, but not in the way you might think. I realized not that I am searching for something more glamorous, or important, or significant, but that I am not seeing the joy and significance already present in my everyday life. I am not seeing what I do as purposeful in anyone's eyes--and I'm missing opportunities because of it.  She was able to phrase things in such a way to bring me around to seeing what the problem was.

I get up. I feed them. I clean up. I eat (maybe). I do chores. I play with them. I clean up again. I feed them again. I read to them. I work while they sleep. I help with homework. I feed them again. I clean up again. I clean them up. I read to them. I tuck them in. I go to sleep.

{ooooh-ing and aaaaahhh-ing over the spiky bombs}

Then, I do it all over again the next day. And the next. And the next.

Can you relate?

But here's the deeper reality:  I've cared for every single need they have ever had since the day they were born.

And, to find true joy, I need to choose to stop looking at these things as chores--and start viewing the mundane as the biggest things anyone will ever do for them in this life. Ever.

Being everything to them for now, while pointing them to the True Everything who will take their lives and do with it only what a loving, all-knowing, all-gracious God can.

{"I love these ones, Mommy....}

Seeing the little things as opportunities.

Like when your child says "I want to give some of my acorns back to the squirrels, Mommy....so they won't be hungry."


An opportunity to discuss loving others; giving; unselfishness; putting others before yourself; kindness.

Or when he asks you before putting each leaf into his bucket "Do you think this is a good one Mommy?" You say "Yes" over and over and watch him put the leaves in the bucket; then decide to test him on one by saying, "No...." and you watch as he puts it back on the ground.

An opportunity to realize just how much your opinion of things really means to him.

We had a wonderful walk together and made wonderful memories. 

I will treasure our day yesterday forever.

And now, I'm off to go find something amazing in my day. It'll be there. Guaranteed.

A "Yes" Mommy

There are so many times that I find myself saying "No" to my boys.


Then, I think about it.....and I wonder exactly why it is that I just said no.


Sometimes, I turn right around and say, "Oh, never mind guys--it's okay. Go ahead and do fill-in-the-blank."


But, not all the time.


Mostly, I find myself saying no to my boys because of my own selfish reasons.


When Colin comes to me and says, "Mom? Can we built a fort in the living room?"


"I don't think so, buddy." I really don't feel like having to re-fold the 47 blankets you are sure to drag out to build your fort.


"Can we go swimming at Aunt Karen's, Mom?"


"Not today, guys." It's too much work for me to have to watch all three of you while you're swimming...and besides, I would really much rather grab a raft and float around on it for a few short hours. Plus, I have so much work to do around this house....


"Mommy, can we please stop at Old McDonald's for lunch and play? Pleeeeease?"


"No, boys, we have to get home now." I'm so tired....and don't you know by now how much I hate that place? That germ-ridden, overrun-with-disobedient-and-loud-children, nothing-good-for-you-on-the-menu place? Ugh!

The scenarios could go on and on.

It's my own laziness. Selfishness.


I want to stay in my own content little area and keep as much peace and normalcy as possible. What you are doing is asking me to come out of my little circle, and I just don't feel like it right now!


Even though I am working on it, my normally-perfectionist-mindset still takes the reigns--with full force--some days.


That is why, when I read Jill Savage's post yesterday, I was so excited: she was giving me just the thing to say "yes". A challenge!


When her boys asked her to "see if it was hot enough to actually FRY an egg on the sidewalk!!" the other day, she confessed that her initial feeling was "No!" But, as she thought about her reasoning behind saying no, she realized that it was her own reservations, stemming from selfishness--not wanting to waste an egg or clean it up off the sidewalk, etc.--that was making that decision for her.


What she thought instead was, "What would this hurt?" And, she let them give it a go--with their promise of cleaning up the egg when they were done.


I saw a very accurate reflection of myself in what she was saying, and I confess--I don't want to be that kind of mother.


We've always said that we make it a point around our house to say "yes" as often as we can to the boys--because there is so much in this world that we are going to have to say "no" to because of safety or boundary reasons. At least, we say that we've made it a point to do that. In reality, I find myself saying "no" a lot more than I am saying "yes" lately.


And, this month, I'm working to change that.


This is the first of what I hope will be a post each day of July on how I said "yes" to my children that day, when I really would have rather said "no"--and the 'something great' that came out of it.


{Also, for clarification: these are things that do not involve safety issues or parental boundaries. I am not advocating to tell a four-year-old that they can go to the park by themselves just because they asked, and just so that a Mom can say "yes". What I am talking about are those things like I mentioned above in my post, or things like what Jill mentioned.}


I started off the challenge yesterday: with a trip to Old McDonald's. My stomach did not thank me later, but the smiles on the kids' faces when we pulled in the parking lot was, quite possibly, the highlight of my day. A chorus of "Yes!! Yay!! Thanks Mommy! YAAAAAY!!" filled the van.


It was great.


Today, despite the fact that it is 62 degrees (on July 1st? Wha??) and raining, we went outside to play. I can't remember the last time when I've let them play in the rain.....but they loved it. "Mom! Mom!! It's like we're in the shower--but outside!! And with all our clothes on!!"


I sat in the garage and froze....but it really was worth it.


(Side note: apparently, playing in the rain really wears children out. I'm going to have to remember that one....)


Anyone that wants to get in on this challenge is certainly free to head on over to Jill's blog and check out all the details. I apologize in advance if you get tired of hearing all the things I said "yes" to! But, I am so very excited to see what this challenge brings--and where it brings ME!!