wisdom and courage

wisdom...

I read this story last week... a day or two after we saw all the lambs be slaughtered (see the next post).  A perfect read for our family as it mentioned Korban and the young David-boy, fierce lover of God, valiant-heart.

It's a sweet story from Ann Voskamp with two of her sons quarreling and how she got to sit long with the older one and suggest along these lines.... "Buddy, if your life is a story you're writing... not with words on a page, but with the way that you love and the words that you speak right here, to your brothers and sisters... how are you caring for them, how do you want to write it?  Do you think you could choose to love them like a hero in this?"  Our kids heard it deep, I think, when they heard how her older son got up, in the story, got over the little quarrel, and decided to generously serve and create and care for his family for joy and for love with them.  

That night and the whole next day I got to return a hundred times to those words with our big guy...."Dear, don't you see how happy you are when you're choosing such hero-love?!  You're showing such wisdom to choose to show such love to others!  What grace to see you so full of love!  You are blessing all of us so fantastically!  Thank you for how you're loving others so well with your care, your help, your encouragement.   I'm so delighted to see you so happily making others happy!"

That was two weeks ago.  We need another shot in the arm.  But it was a gift to be remembered.  An Ebenezer to restore my faith on empty days....  and we can keep growing in that direction.

Lord you did it once.  Please do it again.   Grow us continually in such grace-strength and heroic love.

courage...

She took us to the hospital where they could pierce ears.  It was not quite as cheap as the night market but heart-calmingly cleaner (and still not quite 3$ USD per ear.)   And when Marian freaked out, her beautiful math & local language tutor told her that she would go first.  I couldn't believe it.  I checked with her about nine times.... yea, she decided to get a second hole on one ear since she already had two on the other ear.  (I still think she came up with the plan only when she saw Marian's crazy fear.)  

the hug-hold

Isaiah had been such a supporter for Marian in this and he really wanted to be there for her, to see the process.  But after their teacher's ear was pierced, Marian all but fled the scene.  She was terrified to go through with it.  We quickly figured out that it would be best for Daddy to take the boys and continue to hunt for shoes for our big guy who had a pile of snow sneak in on his toes last week.

It took us a fair bit longer til she was convinced enough to consider trying to really get it done.  Then we finally snuggled into position:  I could hold her and hug her tight- a bit of a straight-jacket with a cuddly blanket type feel.  And she did it.  

She and I were over the moon giddy that she did.   Matt called a few minutes later to see how we were and I told him he'd have to wait and see....  She dashed daringly across traffic to let her daddy see.... and again:  more, much more joy.  From daddy and both the brothers.  What joy for such sweet and simple courage in our girl!

she's still thrilled