A Hidden Treasure

Today I took the kids to a yard sale.  I am not a huge yard sale person, although I do enjoy the occassional Saturday morning outing.  I normally do not take the kids, for the simple reason that they beg me for things that I know will end up in the garbage can within 2 weeks.  But, this morning a Life Group in our church was hosting a yard sale to help raise funds for a lady to go on a mission trip to Costa Rica.  (A trip, I might add, that Darin will be going on.)  Darin was gone for the morning, so I loaded up the three kids, and we headed out.

We found our normal treasures...a few books, stuffed animals, a couple of kids' clothing items, and an antique typewriter.  WHAT?!?  Did I just type that?  Yes.  Yes, I did.  Under a table, Garrett found a very, very old typewriter.  And he loved it.  And all I could think of was John-Boy Walton.  So, it ended up at the Allen house.  After all, it was money for Jesus, right?   

So, fast forward about an hour.  The kids have now taken blankets out on the front lawn.  They made a picnic snack, and took out their newest treasure.  And they were taking turns typing away.  Darin happens to see a car pull up, and starts listening.  A "lovely" neighbor proceeds to yell at Garrett, asking him if there is any reason he "threw" that piece of paper in her yard, and would he like to go back and pick that piece of paper up.  Darin goes out, apologizes to the lady, and explains to her what happened.  So, here's the story:

Garrett decided to make a newspaper.  He began typing, and "delivering" the newspapers to the neighbors.  He placed one piece of paper in each neighbor's yard.  And apparently, the neighbor didn't like it.  Yes, it was littering.  Yes, it would cause her to go out and pick it up.  But good grief!  Nothing like yelling at a 5-year old who didn't know he was doing anything wrong.  If you ask me, I think it was quite creative! 

But, I know there must be a lesson in this.  I know, somewhere, hidden in the frustration that came with this neighbor's ill-tempered reaction to Garrett, I can find a life lesson.  If I just look hard enough. 

And then it hits me.  Her reaction to Garrett is exactly how I react to Garrett.  And Caylie. And Chloe Beth.  Almost every day.  Garrett comes running in with excitement to show me his latest "creation", and I get frustrated that he's made a mess in the living room.  Caylie proudly reads me her latest story, and I get annoyed because I'm running late and need to get out the door.  Chloe Beth claps her hands and smiles at me as I rush through the kitchen, just hoping to get a smile from me, and I don't even see her.  All the neighbor would have needed to do is walk across her yard and pick up the piece of paper.  All I need to do is give my kids the encouragement and time they so need and desire.

Notice this is not so they can learn to be prideful and self-righteous.  But so they can know that they are cherished and loved! Really, our kids don't need us to be their cheerleaders.  They need us to show them that we have time to give them, and we are willing to make sacrifices for them.  Sacrifices of time.  Sacrifices of cleaning up an extra mess in the living room, being a few minutes late, stopping in the midst of our day to just return a smile.  Even the sacrifice of walking across the yard to pick up a paper that a child took the time to type out and carefully place there just for us. 

Paul did this for Timothy.  He encouraged him.  He took the time for him.  He trained him and helped him.  And he loved him.  In fact, he called him, "my beloved and faithful child in the Lord." (1 Cor. 4:17) Paul was certainly Timothy's mentor in the faith.  We all need a mentor.  We all need someone who we can look up to and who will encourage us in our walk with the Lord.  And who will love us!  And for the short time that our children are in our home, we are those people.  Darin and I are the ones who need to encourage them.  Darin and I are the ones who need to take time for them.  Darin and I are the ones who should train them and help them.  So that we may call them "our beloved and faithful children in the Lord."