And you'll learn a lot. For instance....
- Train up a child and you'll come to realize that the more helium inhaled by a voice actor prior to performing, the more your child will memorize. Point in case... E1 has seen Mickey Mouse Clubhouse maybe 5 times... yet we know the theme song, the exercises, "oh toodles" and of course the hot dog song. And yes... I said "we"
- Train up a child and you'll learn that you definitely should have bought stock in Tide / Shout and other laundry items.... we use them. A LOT.
- Train up a child and a small dark closet takes on a whole new life: quick hide-a-way for toys, best hide and seek place, or a much needed quiet oasis for momma when it's been raining for a few days straight (unless you've just played hide and seek, of course, then you'll be quickly found!)
- Train up a child and the clock no longer serves as a means to orient yourself to the position of the sun throughout the day, but to help predict the behavior of your infant and determine whether you really have time to run through Target before she realizes she's hungry.
- Train up a child and mundane tasks like folding laundry become treasure hunts to find the one missing sock statically stuck to some one's shirt. Winner gets an M&M!
- Train up a child and you'll see all your yucky habits modeled right before your eyes. Somehow the good habits don't seem to instantly stick like the bad.......
- Train up a child and once again you'll earnestly thank the Lord for His beautiful creation. Seeing life through Eliaya's eyes makes me a child again. She spent 20 minutes at the park, not running or going down slides, but following ants on their march back to the hill. She wants to know which tree is your favorite. When was the last time you picked a favorite tree outside your window??
- Train up a child and you'll learn just how easy it is to be focused on yourself. And with a lot of prayer and discipline, you'll learn Philippians 2:1-4 (Message)
"If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand."
- Train up a child and you'll love to celebrate the little things in life : finishing veggies at dinner, dinner not ending up on the floor (a frequent cause for cheers in the Reed house), successful potty trip, learning a verse, asking heart questions about love and the Lord, willing and unsolicited hugs (tear-jerker every time!)
- Train up a child and you'll become, with the Lord's help, more aware of how much you need Jesus and all the more thankful for His transforming work in your life.
- Train up a child and you'll learn what it looks like to be quick to forgive. My daughter shows me up often in her ability to give and accept an apology, smile, and move on to restore a relationship. While she may not be able to use the same words to describe what's going on.... I see it. I'm so thankful for the tenderness of E1's big heart!
- Train up a child and you'll go on the wildest, most thrilling, rewarding adventure!
I hear so often, either outright or in undertones of how people talk, the fear that having and raising a child will be the death of "my life". In a way, yes, that's true. You will have to grow up, consider others before yourself, see to some one else's needs, not be able to go along with every crazy idea that may pop into your head..... But it's SO GOOD. Jesus calls us to serve, to think less of ourselves and more of Him, to put our old way of life to death. And I believe, with my whole heart, that one huge means God uses to accomplish this is children. I write down these memories of time with the girls for many reasons: to share laughs, advice and work out frustrations, but also so that one day, when they're older, I can show them the lessons the Lord taught me through them. I want them to see how God has been intentionally using them to bring glory to Himself from day one. And to tell them how thankful I am for them.
So Eliaya, Elora... one day when you read this... thank you. I love you both so much and glorify the Father that He saw fit to put you two in Jarrod's and my lives.
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| little doll baby! 3months |
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| little house on the prairie! |
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| sister-morning-paci-love |
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| "What you lookin at?" |
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| E1's 2nd bday. So much fun! |
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| 4.5 years, 2 kids.... still having fun! |
