Lesson Learned on the Playground

Today was filled with fun. The Kid is out of school and his cousins are here from Texas for the week. He has introduced the four year old boy cousin to internet computer games (Webkinz and National Geographic for Kids are his current faves) and pushed the buggy filled with twin baby dolls and a cute purse for his soon-to-be-two-year-old girl cousin. There was lots more fun, too…popping long sheets of bubble wrap (my personal favorite), dancing to Crocodile Rock, making very large spider webs with scotch tape (each boy used a whole roll!) and then a fun trip to the park.

By the time we went to the park, the boys were getting a little tired of each other. The Kid said from the back seat to his cousin who was in the way back seat (strategic placement was my idea), “Hey why don’t you run one way in the park and I will run another way. Then we don’t even have to see each other.” The boy cousin was agreeable and totally oblivious to the motives of The Kid. (It was fun to see that when the cousin was feeling bullied by another kid on the playground, he ran straight to Austin, who searched out the offender and talked to him.)

Now for the real point of this whole story…..
Not long before we left the park, The Kid ran over to me and said, “Quick, I need one of those ABC things. I am talking to that kid over there about Jesus.” (He was referring to a tract we use at church to tell kids about how to be saved.) Not 15 minutes later, we were traveling home and The Kid, quite irritated by the boy cousin who was singing a Christmas song very loudly, lashed out very rudely at the cousin. Among the really smart “mommy stuff” I had to say was this: “You were just telling a stranger about Jesus and here is your cousin, a part of your family, getting nothing that sounds like Jesus from you.”

Even as the words came out of my mouth, I realized that (in the words of a wise teacher I worked with a long time ago) I had one finger pointing in accusation at The Kid and four others pointing back at me! How often do I speak “Jesus” in public and moments later I am speaking harshly and rudely with my family? It’s way more than I care to admit, but you can be sure that the short lecture that followed – the one about what a gift family is and how we need to treasure our family and speak words of loving kindness that build them up – well, those words were mostly for me.

Here Comes the Ring Bearer

This past weekend The Kid was the Ring Bearer for one of my nephews. He loves this nephew and his new wife. Whenever they come to visit, they are so attentive as he catches them up on his latest inventions and current thoughts. He also loves Jack, their dog! All that to say, he made it clear to me (and others along the way) that he really does not like this job (he’s done it once before) but that he would be willing to do it just for them. Nothing about a wedding excites him – performing for an audience (He prefers small audiences focused only on him.), standing still for a long time (“You don’t know how tired your legs can get just standing there!”), walking beside a girl (“I’ll walk beside her but I will not touch her.”), watching people kiss (“That is just plain disgusting!”), and smiling for all those pictures – he can do without it all.

He did discover that there were some parts of a wedding that were actually pretty good. Like the chocolate fountain with marshmellows and wooden skewers. And cameras lying around everywhere just waiting to be used. There was all that free punch and a great feast of all kinds of foods. There were some other kids his size to run around with. There was also the big water fountain and the spiral staircase. And then there was spending the night in a hotel room!

I was quite proud of The Kid. He played his part well, even waiting until after the I-do’s before untucking his shirt! He smiled on cue and walked beside the girl without making faces. He was kind to the old people and made the younger ones smile. He passed out hugs generously. He even came home with the address of a new friend who lives in Kentucky! (He has big plans for them to be new best friends. He didn’t know how to give the boy his own email address, so he gave him the email address of Gruffy – his Webkinz!)

On the way home as we were discussing the wedding and how well he did, I asked if he was glad he did it. His response, “Of course, I wouldn’t travel 200 miles to be in just anybody’s wedding!” The Kid really does love this particular bride and “broom!”

All of this reminds me…….
One day The Groom of all grooms will come for His bride and I think He will also say something like, “I love you and I am glad to be coming now for you. I wouldn’t travel this far for just anyone!” He really does love His bride, and that is one wedding feast I’ll not want to miss!