LENTEN REFLECTIONS #8 – TODAY IS THROWBACK THURSDAY FOR THE BLOG. THIS IS WHERE I DIG SOMETHING UP FROM THE MANY PAGES IN OUR FAMILY JOURNAL AND SHARE. HERE IS ONE OF MY MANY FAVORITE STORIES FROM 2011.
JULY 2011
Like many parents, I feel we’ve done a fair job at teaching our children essential life lessons. Sharing, playing nicely, using manners, washing hands, and flushing (not necessarily in that order) to name a few. However, our favorite and most precarious lesson is how to appropriately cross the street. As I tell our children, everyone does things differently and it’s okay.
Here’s what we do:
When crossing the street our kids start with the traditional left-right-then-left-again check. Here’s our twist. After our children look left-right-then-left-again, they cross and immediately look down.
Here’s why:
At home, we have a “found money” jar and we put every coin we find in it for one full year. On December 8th, we pour out the battered and tarnished coins on the table, immediately wish we had laid something on the table first, then count it.
It’s never much, although one year I did find $16 on a rainy day walking to the store…that was a record year. We call it a college fund in dire need of scholarship assistance. Of course, we’re careful when crossing the street and look out for each other (big sister has saved the boys a few times) and if someone finds a barely recognizable penny that has seen the bottom of countless Goodyear tires than it’s been a good day. Ultimately we donate what we find to our church and the kids match it with money they’ve saved.
Some days someone will say, “I hope I find a penny or nickel” – I smile thinking how proud I am that my children still get excited over the little things in life like finding a penny, picking it up and hoping that all day they will have good luck.
But one day as Zavier and I were walking in our playground parking lot he said something that really struck me.
“Mama, I hope I find an eleven dollar bill”.
I found myself ready to correct him and capture the teachable moment…to tell him that there was no such thing as an $11.00 bill and ramble on as I tend to, hoping he’ll remember at least 10% of what I say.
Instead, I proceeded with trepidation. I made the decision that if Harold can pick up his purple crayon and draw himself a walking path and Max can dance the wild rumpus with the Wild Things than my sweet 5-year-old can investigate his world and perhaps find his $11.00 bill.
My job is not to squelch his fantasy.
My responsibility is to foster his dreams.
Truly, Zavier reminded me that we are all scouring the earth for our $11.00 bill. Maybe it’s finding our dream job, spending more time with family, going on amazing vacations or any other notions that seem out of our grasp. Whatever the aspiration, we need support in realizing them, and so did Zavier. I was so grateful for that moment.
So we forged ahead, searching together for Zavier’s $11.00 bill and deep down I pray he finds an abundance of them and never stops looking.
Spiritual Journey – speak with kindness and positivity
Workout – Friday run! Pick a pace that works for you. If you go for a walk, try to move a little faster than your normal pace.
runonmom.com 