Remember as kids being picked for the kickball team? I actually had my best friend tell me he didn't pick me because I stunk at kickball in second grade. Well, I showed him. I made two home runs....yeah, I've got a competitive streak in me but only for things that I value. So, sports or games I'm really not that into it. Wanna know what makes me competitive? Learning something.
My dad told me when I was little that your worldly possessions, family, and friends can all be taken from you. The only thing that can't be taken from you is what you know and have learned. That is why he pushed for my brother & I to do our best in school. We didn't have to get the best grades but we needed to try and work hard. My dad dropped out of school at 16 and went into the Navy. They wanted to send him to engineering school. He refused to get his GED and therefore never made it to college for engineering. He told me it was one of the biggest mistakes of his life and not to follow his path. So, yeah, I can write, read, and research like no one else....I simply love to learn.
I think that I've passed that onto both of my kids. I've told them that they are blessed that God made them strong, capable, and with the ability to learn. I've shared that God has great things planned for them and they need to pray and be guided on his path for them. And, I've told them along the way that all your worldly possessions, family, and friends can be taken but what you've learned can never be taken. I've told them that is why school is so important and even shared that I'm not competitive unless it comes to learning.
This week I was reminded of that with Dale. He is my artsy kiddo that loves to read and literally absorbs knowledge like a sponge. The summer before first grade we found an encyclopedia set at a garage sale and he wanted it and promised to read it. I bought it and giggled inside at the thought of a six year old that wanted to read the encyclopedia. I figured he would do the same thing with them that I did as a kid....glance at the pictures and briefly read what interested him. Wowsies, was I surprised to find that my kiddo wanted to read them from front to cover. And, he could tell me all about what was in each of them. And, even more awesome was that he read them all in one summer.
Since then I take note of what interests Dale and buy books with that in mind. The fab thing is that he reads them. Dale is my blessing in my world because he loves to read, sculpt, and has a sensitive heart and spirit. And, I would have never guessed that he was competitive....kind of like me. But this week he got a letter from an engineering and technology camp. And, as he opened the letter he said, "Yes, yes! I've got bragging rights tomorrow!". He explained to me that one of his friends got a similar letter and hasn't stopped bragging about it. Now, Dale, could brag away....who would have thought my quiet, sensitive kid was competitive with education like his mom?
The funniest thing about the letter is that Dale has no idea who would have nominated him from his teachers to go to the camp. He also saw the $4,000 price tag and said that it was enough to know he's smart enough to go. That truly is God's grace for me that I've got a smart, capable kid that realizes what his family can afford. He did say if there is a letter from a paleontology camp that comes we are going to have to think about it.
It's funny how we pass onto our kids what I like to think of as the best and worst of us. We do that through genetics and through them just living everyday with us. If we are blessed they tend to focus more on the best we have to offer rather than our worst. I will admit that Dale called me out a couple of years ago with "You taught me! Your the original potty mouth sayer". Yeah, that's me....my gal pal suggested that I tell him, "But now I'm the potty mouth slayer"....wahahahahha. Isn't that the case? Our kids start to do some of our worst traits and we feel the need to correct them? Maybe we should look at correcting our own ways.
That is why I love, "Show me the right path, O LORD; point out the road for me to follow" -Psalm 25:4. I've literally been a WIP (work in progress) since my birth. God has seen all the good, bad, and ugly parts of my life and still loved me and guided my path if and when I allowed him. Geez, imagine having the ability to control every moment of your child's life and decision making and having to sit back and just watch it all play out. And, what if they ask for your intervention here and there when times were really tough but ignore you the rest of the time. That is heartbreaking for me to think of having that kind of relationship with Dale and Emily. Imagine how God has felt for 45 years with me....uggh, that makes my heart break.
The good news is that each day is a new one. We've got the ability to pray over the Psalm 25:4 and allow God's guidance and direction in our lives. I can think of countless times that I could feel a sixth sense telling me not to do, listen, go with, talk, or react to things that way and I ignored it. My dad used to say it was a sixth sense that God gave us to remind, help, and guide us. For the past few months I've literally been listening to that sixth sense and allowing myself to be the person that God designed for his glory. I can admit it hasn't always been easy and many times I failed to listen. But this week I'm going to work harder on listening to the sixth sense that God blessed me with.....it is that connection that each and every one of us has and all we have to do is ask for God's presence in our daily words and actions and he will show up to nudge and correct his kid....that would be us.
May you have a great week knowing that you are God's kid. Feel free to pray over Psalm 25:4 and feel God's direction in your world.
Blessings -Sherry
Update For The Week
- I've literally overdone it. I will admit defeat. Instead of resting after surgery for the past two weeks I've been deep cleaning my house, arranging things, lay wood flooring in my bathrooms and trying to run errands. Through it all Emily and Dale have been trying to help me and get me to rest. I knew something was wrong over the weekend when I got a huge pain in my right side that went through my legs. I was blessed to push it on Sunday and teach the kiddos in Rock City (Sunday School) and then went home as soon as I was finished. I'm up today and writing my blog but should have listened to my doctor and family and stayed resting. Yeah,I'm seeing that God gave me a knowledgeable doctor and loving family and I should have rested sooner than later.
- Dale is still playing his guitar nightly which I adore. And I asked if he bragged to his friends about his letter. He said no it was enough that he got one. Say what? Yeah, that is God's grace that my son has. Unlike his mama who would brag about it he passes that over and is fulfilled knowing he is good enough and smart enough....love that.
- Em has been busy with her mama these past couple of weeks. I heard her say to her dad over the weekend "You just have to sweet talk her and she will go rest trust me"....hhhmmmm, isn't that what I've told her over the years when dealing with difficult people just sweet talk them. Well, I'm so thankful that she listened to me.
- We received great news about our mortgage....it is going to be refinanced which is awesome and a huge weight lifted for Ted and I. We are working together to budget, to fix things at the house, and communicating with one another. That is a huge blessing for us and I would ask that you continue to pray for us that we are able to reconfigure our budget and lives with our health insurance costs, meds, and continued care I need over the course of this year.
- Finally, I do have a list of needs this week:
- 1. I've got shingles and nails but need someone to come and replace the missing shingles on our house. Em wants to do it with Dale but I'm a little jumpy about that since she has seizures. If someone would come over and work with my kiddos to get it done that would be remarkable.
- 2. We've got some metal deck furniture that we want gone....does anyone do scarp metal? If so send me your number so I can get it out of here.
- 3. Pray that I'm able to rest this week rather than "little red hen" myself.
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