these kind of days

I awoke to the alarm this morning, my heart pounding at 5:30 am, with a list of things to accomplish running through my brain. Dentist appointment first thing, then dress and gift selecting, grocery shopping, bathroom cleaning … send a card, finish emails and messages, bring a meal to a new mom – my self-imposed agenda was getting longer by the second.

I grabbed my green smoothie, took a shower and then woke Rina for school with her saying, “I’m hot, I think I’m sick.” I brought up the thermometer to prove she wasn’t – well, ha, so much for my to-do list!

Thank God for fevers and reasons to stop the madness and put the important things front and center. I’ll take a day of snuggling, chicken soup and ice cream, reading, dancing in the kitchen and movies with my girl any day.

When the kids were little, we were in constant physical contact: feeding, holding, hugging and playing. Now, finding time to keep them close, with school and sports plus all the nightly and weekend activities, takes willfulness and endless creativity from Craig and I.

I’m thankful for the gift of these kind of days, when I can be intentional about pouring out of Marina all that the world has tried to load her with, and instead, fill her up with the love God has given me the ability to share.

One of my favorite authors, Sally Clarkson, wrote this in her book, The Mission Of Motherhood.  “Children do not accidentally become righteous leaders or emotionally healthy and productive adults – any more than seeds thrown randomly to the wind grow to be part of a thriving garden. Simply throwing children into a cultural tornado and hoping for the best gives them little chance of living up to their potential or coming out unharmed.  Someone needs to take responsibility for their nurture, protection, nourishment, intellectual development, manners, recreation, personal needs and spiritual development. Someone needs to commit time and energy into staying close to them as they grow, encouraging and correcting and teaching.”

I’m so thankful that someone is me!

“Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from Him.”  Psalm 127:3