One of the things I miss most about Nebraska is families. I grew up in a small church in which everyone was family – and I had plenty of interactions with people of all ages. Once I moved to Columbus, it took a while, but I got acquainted with families fairly quickly and spent time with people of all ages.
It’s been harder here in Wichita, where most of our friends are single or married young adults without children and where our churches have been big and relatively age-segregated. It’s been harder to get to know families, to interact with children. But we’re gaining traction, slowly – and this week has been particularly full of fulfilling interactions with children.
This week I’m thankful…
…for for an invitation to a picnic
He gathered all the fruits from the puzzle on the table, placed them in the shape sorting basket, and handed the basket to me. “We’re going on a picnic to the Indian. Do you wanna come?” Of course I wanted to come.
While I have children in my office most of the day, I mostly interact with their parents. This little boy provided a delightful change of pace, telling me about the helicopter that was by the river during this year’s Riverfest, inviting me on his picnic (to see the “Keeper”-a large statue that stands where the Arkansas and the Little Arkansas rivers combine), and telling me about how he *couldn’t* see the fishes in the river because it was too muddy.
…for a little girl who hasn’t learned to keep her mouth shut
I descended the stairs after getting some lab work done, my keys already in my hand for my return to work, when her exclamation pealed through the waiting room. “Look at that girl’s pretty dress!” Her embarrassed father grabbed her hand, turned to her, undoubtedly to shush her. I smiled at her and left the office.
In time, she will learn to keep such comments to herself. She will learn that such things are to be whispered instead of shouted. But for now, I rejoice in a child’s voice proclaiming my outfit “pretty” (and me a girl, but that’s neither here nor there!)
…for dances and special songs
It’s been a while since we’ve seen some friends of ours from church, what with them going to a different service than us for a month and then us being sick the past couple of weeks (me first with a nasty cold, then Daniel with pneumonia from that cold – Bleh!) But this week, we were back in the same service and chatted for a while before going out to dinner with them afterward.
Their kids know us, have been over at our house, see us in church and so on – but usually they’re pretty shy around us or have grandma and grandpa or aunts nearby to charm, so they don’t pay much attention to us. But this past Sunday, we were just having dinner the six of us. 3-year-old H was his rambunctious self, dancing on the restaurant booth beside me. I asked him if he likes dancing (which, of course, he does) and what kind of dancing he likes best (swinging – which, in this case, means swinging his arms and swaying his body). I informed him that I too enjoyed dancing, which was enough for him to consider me a dance partner. He wrapped his arms around me and started “swinging”, singing a made-up song into my hair.
“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children of one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.”
~Psalm 127:3-5 (ESV)
Thank you, Lord, for the heritage that is children, for the blessing of being able to interact with them.
:)
Indeed!