All little children that I have known recognize and appreciate handmade. As I was settling him for his nap just now, it got me thinking. The development of our children as people depends on our hands, our care, our time. When Andrew asks me to sing Goodnight My Father* to him one more time, or insists that I repeat the "ABC's" starting at "QRS", when he begs me to pray for him just a little longer (= cuddle time) and screams if I shut the door before he gets a chance to say "I love you too, Mommy", I am investing in a man. I am handshaping his character.
I read today in the book Beautiful In God's Eyes (by Elizabeth George) that "...50% of a child's character and personality development takes place by age three, and 75% by age five". The laundry needs to be done, there's little fingerprints on the walls, my dining room set is sticky, the floor is wanting a good scrub, my hair isn't fixed, I haven't put my makeup on yet...but my children need me. Getting the Stuff done is important. But investing my time, treasuring the moments with my babies, is always first.**
*Goodnight My Father is a song Barbara Cuomo taught me in Sunday school when I was probably 6 or 7. She handed out the lyrics on these little pieces of paper. I think she wrote it herself. I put the paper in my bottom drawer and still had it when I moved out to Tulsa in '01. The lyrics are a little choppy, and some of it may have changed a little with my memory, but it has comforted me in more situations than I can count. It's a beautiful prayer, and I'm so glad that Andrew loves it too. Maybe I'll put up a video sometime of Andrew singing it so that you all can hear how it goes.
Here are the lyrics:
Goodnight my father, put thoughts of Jesus in my head
Holy Spirit comfort me, put angels all around my bed
And fill my dreams with the things that please you
I long to hear Your sweet voice, it is so peaceful.
**To balance this, I assure you that I realize: Greg comes before the kids, God comes before Greg. =)
Thanks for sharing that. Sometimes my life gets out of control and I have to remember to take a moment and think about what is really important. I love that song. I think I will start singing it to Zoey too. ~A
ReplyDeleteI love that song and still find myself singing it at times. I remember when Barbara taught it to us. She suggested Jesse and I could sing it together before bedtime, and we actually did a few times. I don't know what Jesse thought, but I felt very brotherly and sisterly.
ReplyDeletei have NO doubts about the priorities in your life. this post is simply scrumptious with truth. your middle section, starting with, "the laundry..." is too beautiful for words. thank you for sharing them. and i can only shout a huge, raucous, loud "Amen!" children don't wait...those crucial first years go so fast. i know people say it all the time, but, my children don't remember whether the kitchen was clean, or whether i had makeup on or not...they remember that on a warm sunny day we took a picnic to the park and played all day!
ReplyDeleteoh, and yes, PLEASE do a video sometime!
ReplyDeleteoh how i love you. you've been such a blessing and an inspiration in my life. you're such a fantastic mother. thanks for all you've shown to me.
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