What I can learn from my children

Something crazy happened to me Sunday morning.

I have been banking ideas of what to write about next because unlike some bloggers, I have no arsenal of posts to pull from; I am unapologetically flying by the seat of my pants and typing my posts weekly until I get the hang of this blogging thing. Some ideas are scribbled in the margins of my devotional notes and some are mentally stored. One of my girlfriends suggested a topic. Today's post fell right in my lap, though. And I needed it.

Isn't it crazy how God speaks to us? Like a flash of lightning hitting the brain and the heart. Do this. Say this. Read this. Pursue this. This is where I need you.

So Sunday morning while I'm making my coffee (the Keurig was making my coffee) I looked into the living room at my daughter. She was so happy, sitting up, smiling, cooing... then she rolled down onto her back, then her stomach, laughing the whole way. It hit me - There is so much that I could learn from her.

Joanna is only six months old, but she is wise beyond her time on this Earth. She sees life through innocent eyes. She does not know hatred. She does not know jealousy, envy, spite.

I think Joanna will fall into that category of people that when they speak, you will want to listen. This is a category that I long to be a part of but am not, and will probably never be. Jo only cries when she needs something. Man, to be like that. I run and run and run this mouth. Run it when I'm happy. Run it when I'm bored. Run it when I'm upset. But Jo, she only complains when she is in need. And it's not even a complaint, technically; it's just communication because she can't speak yet. I understand that I am blessed with a good natured baby that only cries when she's hungry, soiled, tired, or wants to be moved. But I'm paying attention, y'all. How many of us could learn from her? To think about what's coming out of our mouth and whether it's a necessity or not? When she's not giving her little "instructions" she smiling, cooing, laughing, or sleeping. That's Jo and she's already teaching her Mama so much about life.

Then my train of thought automatically switched to Gavin, my son. What he could and does teach me about unconditional love. Gavin is a three-nager. I'm getting teenager-like behavior from a tiny, adorable human and it makes me crazy, confused, and entertained all at the same time. Gav has been pulling hard at my heartstrings lately because I feel like I haven't had the patience that he deserves because... life. Yet, he still climbs up in my arms every morning when he stumbles into whatever room I'm in. He still asks where I am when I'm not in his line of vision. My little boy is teaching me valuable lessons about forgiveness and unconditional love and I am paying attention. There is simply no extra time or energy to harp on what someone has done to hurt me. Instead, I should be drinking my coffee, reading, writing, running, playing with him. "Mommy, let's go camping." Okay bug, let's go.

In a matter of moments, I had these realizations. I sat down to read my devotional, and 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 was one of the key verses for the day:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

And that's when I realizes that my children are an embodiment of love. They are all of these things listed in that passage of scripture. They are love. I always knew that they were love because (duh) they were mine and I loved them. But this was a renewed realization. This was that lightning bolt moment.

Okay God, I'm picking up what you're putting down.

I scribbled "What I can learn from my children" in the top corner of my note sheet and knew what I needed to blog about. Everything else was going to have to wait because apparently this was the right time for this message.

For readers that do not have children, I understand that the title may have turned away already - but this is for you too, girl! How many of you have pets? Animals are emotional geniuses, y'all. What they can teach us about life, love, faith, humanity, compassion is overwhelming. To find out everything you need to know about love you must first seek out God; but then seek out those you care about (human or not) immediately after that. You will find God and love within them. The likings of God is rolling beside me on her play mat right now; two are asleep in a bed down the hall, and another is laying out in the sun on back porch. Children or not, oh, the things I can and do learn from them all.

How blessed I am. Here's to being a lifelong learner.