Joshua had been a curmudgeon all day. He had pushed his little sister down the stairs and ripped to shreds his big sister’s prized painting that had been displayed with pride on the refrigerator. He had pulled all twenty-four of his big brother’s football pendants off the bedroom wall and fed the hamster a gum wrapper. My patience was in as many shreds as our refrigerator art and my sense of humor had disappeared like the gum wrapper in our resident rodent’s cage. By day’s end, my own mood was as waspish as my preschooler’s. I snapped at my children’s “childishness” and deemed their normal mess-making as a deliberate attempt to destroy my goodwill. I just wanted the rotten day to end so I could stuff my naughty boy in his room and retire my own crabby spirit to the couch.
I was monitoring the final round of pre-bedtime baths when Hannah waltzed into the bathroom with a long-forgotten paper bag. Construction paper hearts laced the outside edges of the simple bag and a few cheery Valentine’s day cards peeked over the jagged top like prisoners searching for a way out.
“Mom, may I eat one of my Valentine’s Day treats?” Hannah asked as she dug her hand to the bottom of the bag and pulled out a lollipop.
I glanced at my daughter and shrugged in weary apathy. “As long as you brush your teeth before bed.”
Josh set down his plastic tug boat and peered over the edge of the tub. “I want one! I want one!”
“No,” I chided, “Those are Hannah’s special treats from school. She’s been saving them for a long time. “And besides,” I added with a finger wag, “naughty boys don’t get lollipops before bed.”
Joshua’s green eyes cast a wistful glance at the purple sucker in his sister’s grip. Once again, Hannah reached her free hand back into the decorated bag. With a dramatic wave, she pulled out a green lollipop twice the size of her own.
My John Deere boy gasped appreciatively. “I love green,” he mumbled as he swatted a few bubbles away from his plastic fleet of tub toys. Hannah squatted beside the bathtub so she could be eye-to-eye with the one who had destroyed her favorite painting just hours earlier.
“Joshy,” she said as she waggled the green lollipop in front of her little brother’s face. “You may have this lollipop.”
Joshua’s mouth dropped open and his sister continued. “You DON’T deserve it, Bubba, but I’m giving it to you anyway.” Hannah unwrapped the sugary stick and handed it to her speechless brother. “That,” she said with a slight smile, “Is called grace.”
I watched as my sage seven-year-old kissed her cranky brother’s wet head, and I humbly confessed my own unmerited status before the Lord. And then I thanked Him for whispering truth through a sticky green lollipop and a generous little girl.
The Overflow:Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.-John 1:16-17
I’m not so sure I have much to do with the “holy moments” God orchestrates in the craze of our ordinary life, but I am certainly grateful for the ways He speaks through the little voices in my midst! Humbling, no doubt.
Jessica… Josh has been talking about Ella non-stop since the park. We went to Living History Farms today and he asked three times if Ella would be there, too! So fun that he remembered a Waumba friend 🙂
You have a lot to be proud of in your children! Our little Ella played for quite some time with Joshua at the park today. We were there with playgroup and they were sure having fun :).
I’m not so sure I have much to do with the “holy moments” God orchestrates in the craze of our ordinary life, but I am certainly grateful for the ways He speaks through the little voices in my midst! Humbling, no doubt.
Jessica… Josh has been talking about Ella non-stop since the park. We went to Living History Farms today and he asked three times if Ella would be there, too! So fun that he remembered a Waumba friend 🙂
Alicia
You have a lot to be proud of in your children! Our little Ella played for quite some time with Joshua at the park today. We were there with playgroup and they were sure having fun :).
I’m so impressed with your kids…what a great job you’re doing, mama! 🙂