Standing Up

Sometimes I hesitate to write too many of this kind of a post in close proximity. I don't want to give off the false impression that as a family, we have it all together, praise God with every single instant of our lives (we should, but we don't ALWAYS), and there is never a failure or a fight. But this blog being first a journal for my family and a heritage for my grandchildren, not yet born for many years, I do want to record the many successes of my children for their encouragement and mine. I want to be able to read back through on the hard days, like several of them this week, and remember that slow and sticking progress is being made in the spiritual growth of our beloved children. I want them to be able to look back over our words one day and know the failures were forgotten, not just by God but by us as well, and the victories were proud moments for their parents.

Yesterday I was blessed with two of those moments. On a day when it seemed as though nothing else went according to my desires, when it seemed as though a million efforts on my part and my husband's and my mom's were for nought, when I was accepting such because of all that God has so faithfully taught me, when despite many a detour in the plans, I was O.K. with it, God gracefully gave me a heaping dose of encouragement anyway.

First, my daughter, who has been battling not one but three catty buddy bullies at her school and whose confidence level often seems non-existent, stood up to them. And she did it in the most important way. It seems that the bully gang and one of my daughter's friends, plus a couple of other girls were all pretending to be "witches" as they frolicked on the playground yesterday at recess. The three who normally exclude Faith from their presence offered her turn at being the witch and she told them, "Well, we are lucky to get to go to a Christian school and since witches and stuff like that are evil and don't belong to God, I don't want to play that." Thank You God!!! I honestly was surprised at her spot-on reaction. Her problems with these particular three have reached such a degree that I actually have a conference scheduled with the teacher about it today. And I love God for rewarding her confidence (her step of faith) by having my daughter's friend and another girl agree. "Yeah, we don't want to play that either." Please know that I am not making judgements about just how serious this whole situation was; I am just glad for how it worked out Faith's growth and commitment and confidence.

Then last night, we went early to my daughter's cheer leading exhibition to help out with set up and decorations. My son became bored at having to sit around while we worked, so he jumped in and found out what needed to be done. Apparently during the course of his work, someone remarked to him what a fine helper he was and that was all it took. He spent the next three hours in non-stop service, doing everything from serving the meal (I was SO PROUD of his latex gloves and his smile) to sweeping to stripping the decorations to putting away chairs and carrying out trash. He got dirty and broke a sweat. And before the night was over, people were making specific efforts to seek out his parents so they could tell us what a fine job he had done with joy in his heart. Just that ONE first comment was all it took. It reminded me to be constantly forgiving the bad and actively seeking the good in our children (in everyone for that matter.) He just needed that one assurance that his efforts matter. I know I feel the same way when someone takes the time to tell me when I've been a blessing. It's good for several more rounds of whatever it is that we're facing. I am so grateful to the adults who understood that and recognized my son. It's nice when it starts to come from someone other than just Mom and Dad. I think it validates a child that he is receiving that kind of recognition from someone who doesn't automatically love him already. And it sure does make a parent happy and proud!