Children and quiet generally don’t mix. If one child is quiet, that model child might actually be reading or coloring. If three children are collectively quiet, the chances of calling in the fire department or national guard are favorable.
Masters Sunday was upon us. My husband is an avid golfer and was enamored with the competitive play of Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed. My brother-in-law and sister were visiting and we were all glued to the television in the living room. I was unknowingly coming down with strep and felt like I had swallowed a soup made of tacks and cotton balls. The children were playing in our mudroom, as it was too cold to play outside. They had imaginatively decided to operate a zoo and had enlisted themselves as lion tamers. We have two golden retrievers, so this makes perfect sense. They were playing well with one another, the Masters was calling, and I felt like death was on my doorstep, so we let them be. Then, the quiet set in. Cue the parents.
We walked in to see that our mudroom zoo was now filled with two muddy lions and three lion tamers who had tattooed themselves with our personalized self-inking monogram and address stamps. Ladybug had our monogram stamp on her forehead and she and Superman both had our address stamped on their arms, stomach, and lower back. I guess that’s either one way to teach them our address or an easy way to Return to Sender. To top it all off, Monday was class picture day. (As you are laughing, just go ahead and say “Bless Her Heart”.)
After some time spent scrubbing with makeup removing wipes and baby soap, baby oil seemed to be the winning magic eraser. This event certainly made Monday morning interesting, however school pictures went off without a hitch and luckily you could barely see the remaining shadow of ink on their arms and foreheads.
Kids these days! I don’t know where they get it?! I mean, I only left crayons to melt on the back seat of my grandparent’s cadillac… twice.
Now, of course, we laugh about the situation, but it definitely wasn’t funny at the time.
Even in the messiest of moments, children can be our greatest teachers.
1) Imagination-Embrace a chance to live out the stories constructed in the minds of children. Imagination and creativity go hand in hand. Sometimes, we get so caught up in the matters of adulthood, that we don’t leave room for innocence, imagination, and creativity in our own lives.
2) Mistakes Fade-The residue of mistakes fade. In the moment, they seem grandiose and burdensome, but then grace intercedes. Grace; free, unmerited favor. We receive boundless grace from God, and through his grace, we learn to give and receive it.
3) Make Your Mark-In this life we are given the opportunity to cultivate the talents that have been bestowed upon us in order to leave our mark on the world. Fame and fortune are fleeting. It is the imprints of kindness, diligence, trustworthiness, loyalty, and the extension of friendship and grace that enable you to etch and intertwine your story with others.
Leave the self-inking stamps in the drawer and seek opportunities to make an imprint on the lives of others.
How will you make your mark this week?