Michael made one of his favorites, banana pudding, and when Macklynn finished his, he said we should make it next time without the bananas. My point is made ...kids will be kids ...just like when I went down to clean out the barn today. I was so disgusted at the condition of things I almost cried. (I took brief delight in Mama Felicia Cat's babies peaking out at me from a pile of wood. She disappeared with them several days ago, but wound up taking them exactly where we needed them to be.) Of course, each person blamed another for the disarray. I'm always ecstatic when the kids step up and learn a new job, but am reminded how they need oversight and sometimes just plain need someone to do things alongside them. Most valuable lessons are learned in that setting anyway. Life's questions and answers come gracefully when we're working and playing TOGETHER. I stress over this "school" subject or that, but eventually it gets covered in real time and real life. (Though, math and music will get lots of attention around here in the months to come. I love that together they represent God's brilliant mind for order and for beauty. For only one are our kids naturally minded, but I'm told with one, the other will follow.)
I saw on a sign last week, "To teach counting is fine, but to teach what counts is better." - enough said. I love watching the gravition that each child has to certain likings. I love being here, not necessarily the being needed but the being available. Oftentimes, I find myself getting cross when we aren't making progress. Truth is that lazy, rude, and stupid is not acceptable. Having something and not taking care of it means you should very likely get rid of it. I have to find a way to back up my displeasure without a frown and a gruff voice. I notice more and more the comments the kids make about my disposition and "cheerful" is not on their list. "Cheer" is gonna take some work, but I'll find it because I'm going to ask for it. Discipline for kids is really creativity/relevancy and not always old school punishment and consternation, although I'll go old school in a heartbeat when things get out of control.
Through the busyness of summer, some important training has slipped ...and one sure thing about cool weather is more time spent in close proximity to each other, so the tide is about to turn. Screaming at 'em across the yard won't be necessary when they're within reach ;) I'm back to my search for temperance, one of those fruits of the Spirit that can't be restated in new versions of the Bible. Too much of anything is bad; finding balance is perfection. Juggling the 9 lives of this family makes for a lot of variables in the teetering balance. When I step away in my own version of "right", everything stands to lose something. Everything DOES matter, down to that half a pound I rejoiced about the other day, because I haven't seen that number (mind you, it's still a big one) since February. I walked around that day like I just got a contract, regardless of the XL I often still require. Confidence when we know we're "walking the walk" changes a day and everybody we meet in it, especially our family - and whether we meet them with a smile ...or not. Women, when we aren't taking care of ourselves we harbor ourselves, waiting for that better day, making our husbands wait for that better day. People say, "When Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." I've learned that, "When Daddy ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." The children sense when there's sexual tension between their parents, whether they're old enough to understand or not.
Living confidence with humility is one of those hard balances to achieve when we don't keep our eyes on God and a heart bubbling with thanks. Exemplifying it and passing it on to the young ones is a small miracle. I'm witnessing them blossom physically, together with the wherewithal to make decisions/take stands that pierce my otherwise thick skinned heart. Megan is working back to her femininity coupled with doing well in her field of automotive work but feels led to a higher calling. She came back from the concert they went to with a shirt that said, "I refuse to do nothing", which is inspired by a song that says, "I refuse to sit around and wait for someone else to do what God has told me to do myself." Miranda is working positively through her health barriers and weight gain, still making time to make the best of a "difficult" situation - plainly stated, a "hateful" girl at work, by befriending her. McKala has taken on the cowgirl look fullforce and cements it with the care of her 4 new calves. Today it's involved some of their investment money spent on medicine for "scours". She and Michael (with his own calves) were out in the dark giving them shots and oral medication (Pepto Bismol for cows :) with great big syringes. These things I can stand to learn from them. Yeah, they teach "me" pretty often. We're in this venture of life together, so I'll accept forward motion in any pure form it takes.
We had to play one of Michael's middle school football games on an elementary field this weekend. There were lots of complaints about the seating, but being on the side lines gave me ear to Michael calling out instruction and rugged encouragement to his fellow players on the line. I could see the arms of his tall frame directing the motion. He's becoming a leader. To never allow that position to consume him will make him a desirable human being.
Melody has no qualms about telling the truth and looking terribly cute (with her super short haircut and pop culture style) while she's doing it. However, couth in doing so is another subject altogether. At 11, she's got a little time to work out the bugs. Macklynn and Madalynn will be contest for me over the winter. They're used to running free and wild (with life jackets, that is) around the outdoors. This copping an attitude they're doing won't last long. I've just got to figure out how to correct them with a wholesomely sweet smile on my face ;) ...a smile is not a hard thing to work up tonight as Melody is sitting here beside me (since it's her turn to sleep with me while Mike's gone) watching "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". God knows it's hard not to the agree that too many children carry those "Wonka" disliked personalities. Truth is I'd like to kick their parents in the knees for looking past the obvious. Yeah, I know prayer would work better, but a swift kick into reality would do a lot of us some good.
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