Chocolate Milk Dances and Twister

We’re in the middle of a talk series with our youth on Wednesday nights about the armor of God, and last night I got to talk to them about the shoes fitted with the Gospel of peace. While I was getting ready for the talk before we left for church, the house broke into chaos. Things had been going rather well up to that point – in fact I’d say it was the best day we had all had together in a while. But I’ve discovered that children – especially two year olds – are like blood hounds and can sniff out the moments their mommas need just an ounce of cooperation and peace. Then, for some reason, they feel the need to pounce on it and rough it up a little bit. Why is that, by the way?

So – of course – as I was getting ready for my talk and going over my notes one last time, the boys (who, mind you, had been sweet angels all day) started in with antics that made me want to throw my little shoes of peace right at the wall. So instead of showing up for youth all composed and prepared, I walked in with my mind in a very un-peaceful state. I was armed with some really fresh examples of the enemies of our peace, though.

About a year and a half ago I went through a tough spell being a mommy. My kids were one and three and a half, and we had just moved to TN from NC for my husband to start a new career. It was, to say the least, stressful. I certainly wasn’t enjoying my kids at the time, and I really wanted to be. So I started a “joy journal” that still sits on the nightstand beside my bed. Every night for a month or so I made myself write down at least one thing that each kid said or did that day that brought me joy. I wish I had kept it up, because I have a lot of precious memories written in there that I might have completely overlooked otherwise.

I thought today would be a good day to “joy journal” in my post. You guys have heard me complain about my boys a lot lately, and I feel the need to share some of their good side with you. For the purposes of today’s post I think I’ll call the two and a half year old Happy Feet (we call him that at home because he likes to dance when he’s happy), and the five year old Tender Heart (although he would much rather I call him Megatron, and his father – I’m sure – would protest about Tender Heart sounding girly, but I’m pretty sure Tender Heart Bear on the CareBears was a boy, so I’m good).

So here it is – things my boys have done lately that bring me joy:

• Last night Happy Feet, after listening to his big brother review AWANA Cubby verses for church, felt the need to clarify a few things. “’Piderman didn’t sent his son. No, ‘Piderman spins his web. God sent His son…”
• Tender Heart was playing a game in the hall the other day when he ran past the room I was in. He suddenly turned back and ran in just long enough to kiss me on the hand. I needed that.
• Both boys were playing some sort of tag yesterday while I was changing sheets on the bed, and the next thing I new they ran in my room completely naked. I don’t know what possessed them to do it, but it was funny and we all laughed.
• Happy Feet and I spent about five minutes at nap time yesterday playing the kissing game – where he tells me where on his face (or arm, apparently) to kiss him and I try to do it without tickling him too much. When I told him, “When I dreamed about being a mommy, this is what I always thought it would be like,” he reached up and kissed me on the lips like he totally understood what I had just said.
• Tender Heart – ok, it’s bothering me now, too….Megatron opened and closed the basement door yesterday to make the alarm go off because I had fallen asleep after playing the kissing game and he needed to wake me up so we could play. We then spent over an hour together downstairs playing soldiers and Twister (which, by the way, was hilarious to watch).
• Happy Feet laid in my lap for about 30 minutes (which if you know him is an absolute eternity) watching Lion King yesterday.
• Megatron told me about a dream he had the other night in which Jesus was on the cross and said “Father, Father, Father” and then He died. I was afraid it had been scary, but he said that it was a good dream and it made him happy. The thing that brought me the most joy is that we haven’t even been talking about that lately, so it was just on his mind.
• Happy Feet did the “chocolate milk dance” for me yesterday, and I didn’t even ask him to (ok, we’re horrible parents…we make our kid dance for his chocolate milk just because we know we can…he has to sing the song too…)
• Both boys were shrieking (in a good way) and hugging each other in the bathtub the other day, pretending to be scared of the shower sprayer I was warming up to use on them. They were so silly and cute making all that noise and laughing together. I wish I had gotten the camera to take a picture!

I could probably think of more at the risk of boring you, but I'll stop there. Thanks for letting me share, I just needed to take a moment and remember some of the things I love the most about my boys. In a few minutes I’m going to go wake them up and start a whole new day full of opportunities for joy and frustration, and I felt like I owed it to them to have my sights set on joy this morning. Wish us luck, and pray that I keep those shoes of peace on my feet!