The Photo Story continues...
DAY TEN: a picture of the person I do the most messed up things with
I have no hesitation thinking of the topic for this photo story entry. My kids have got to be the wackiest creatures around. There is NEVER a dull moment with them. Ever. Several of our children have grown and moved out, but these two continue the Shelton legacy of crazy moments created by kiddos.Pictured here is our daughter Desiree, our son Nathan, and our granddaughter Madison. Individually, Desiree and Nathan are like night and day. Their personalities clash, it causes the normal bickering that occurs between siblings, and occasionally I spot a new gray hair I like to sarcastically blame on them... but when push comes to shove, these two never fail to make things interesting. When you add Madison to the mix, that's when things really spice up. She's loved to pieces by them both, so all bickering and minor hassle comes to a halt as they group together and the craziness begins.
The kids really bring out the silliness in me. When I let my hair down and let loose enjoying time with them, they make me feel like a kid at heart. That's my view of "messed up things I get into". I'm not one that gets a thrill out of pushing the limits of the law, going out on the town acting stupid, or doing things that, well, a Christian just shouldn't be doing... so the way I interpret "messed up things" is acting in a way that I probably wouldn't (at least not as much so) if it weren't for these kiddos.
Children have a way of bringing out a joy in us if we allow them to. For them there isn't yet a steady responsibility of paying bills, time management, marriage responsibilities, and child rearing... so their idea of fun is obviously more than being able to sit for more than five minutes to hide from the everyday norm. They like to go, do, explore, dream, create, and enjoy every moment. Their minds think outside the box, and let's face it, their imaginations, creativity, and zest for enjoying life tend to outweigh ours as "level headed" adults.
When we take a few moments to enjoy life the way a child does, in a way we used to before we got so set into our "adult ways", we have the chance to remember what it was like to giggle uncontrollably, act silly, be spontaneous, and let go of the tensions grow-ups tend let tie them down when unnecessary.
Children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
(Psalm 127:3)
God's word here tells us that children are high valued objects in our lives... they are our reward. If you win a cash prize in a contest, would you not enjoy the unexpected addition to your finances and spend it? If you are given recognition for a job well done at work, do you not appreciate the acknowledgement from your peers for the hours poured into the task?
How much greater then is a child verses a contest cash prize or an employers recognition, that is specified by God as being given to us as a high valued reward? We should enjoy them to their fullest, making the most out of each and every day... rather than allowing ourselves to view them as just a burdening responsibility. Focus on what matters has been so deeply lost.
There will be times through their growth that our kids will test us, push limits, and challenge authority. But don't WE as adults do that with God??
I hear so many parents in constant frustration with their kids from day to day. Walking through the grocery store, parents snap at kids to shut up and hurry along so schedules can be met. Clothes shopping gives witness to temper tantrums getting a child's way, showing a parents lack of focus on their child's life and well being in the long run. Even Facebook status updates have parents venting about all the frustrations, hassles, and stress their children are bringing them. Can you imagine how awful life could get for us if God's treatment of us mirrored how we talk to, treat, respond to, or view our children?
The ohh's and ahh's over our kids when they're infants become giggles and laughter as they branch into their random speaking toddler years, then the milestone moves on to the first day of school as we relish the moments... then before it's realized, parents are looking forward to their kids going to school to get away from them for peace and quiet.
I admit, I have moments with my kids... ALL parents do, or will, at some point. It's inevitable. We did it to our parents, ours will do it for us, and their children will do it for them. None the less, it's heartbreaking for me to see a huge lack of joy people have with their children as they let those moments push them away from their kids rather than gravitating them closer.
When I think about the laughter my kids provide me, the talks we have about both serious and lighthearted issues, and the structure of parenthood merged with the enjoyment of every level of their growth, it all gives me the realization that through them, I am blessed.
