I had someone say to me at work today that old adage, “Thank goodness it’s hump day!” I couldn’t help but think to myself that I am so grateful that in 20 years of working I have never felt that way! Not even once. It did however give me an idea though, instead of focusing on the negative of a rough week, I am going to take a James 1:2 approach and count all things joy! I don’t have true trails and tribulations, so please humor me here, but I am going to choose to focus on finding the good in something that frustrates me.
Today’s topic? Stepping on my kids toys. It frustrates me for two reasons. First, it hurts! Secondly, because it means that no matter what I try I am apparently not getting any closer to getting my kids to put away their toys when they are done playing with them.
So is the silver lining in stepping on legos in the middle of the night you ask? The joy of knowing that my kids are using their imaginations, something that seems to be fleeting among children their age. I notice as we move about that children seem to have their faces in digital devices and are losing their ability to interact with their peers.
Now don’t get me wrong, my children are probably more spoiled than most. Thanks to “hand me down” devices they have, iPads, Android tablets and iPhones (used for portable gaming). They can tell you anything you want to know about Minion Rush and “Where’s my Water” and Netflix is their best friend. We do our best to make sure the most of their time is spent on educational apps, but it is funny how they always seem to find other distractions.
The difference is, we make them stop, take a break, and just play. They know the joy of pretending to be pirates in their tree fort that magically turns into a ship at their whim. Our youngest can her favorite bear talk, fly and even have personalities that rival reality TV stars.
I pray they stay this way. That they know the joy of thinking outside of the norms presented to them. That they move towards creativity and away from the status quo. That my artistic older child realizes that her creativity is an asset and something to be treasured.
So, as I take a deep breath instead of crying out when a toy train embeds itself into my foot, I choose to remember that my child used that train to deliver wonderful memories that I will treasure for years.
An Ordinary Methodist 