I have had the privilege of spending a lot of time with my youngest daughter Syd lately. JJ and Alex are both back to school. Heather leads a Wed. a.m. community group meeting for our church and I spend pretty much every Wednesday for a few hours alone with her. We also get time going to pick up the kids or watching her "bubba" play in his tackle football league. Recently at Atlanta Bread restaurant I tried to "kill two birds with one stone." I had a few minutes before I needed to be home with Syd and I convinced her (ok bribed) to go get a cookie so I could check my emails. One of the joys of the financial crunch is lack of cable/internet at home! So I am a wanderer now...a wi-fi signal junkie. As Syd crunched on her cookie I was in a moment of bliss, replying to my 27 emails that piled up in a few days of no email exposure. While we talked about barbies, our next daddy-daughter date, our dog Scooby, and the reality of how upset she was that although we went to the library and two parks, we went to the "wrong" ones...she demonstratively let me know that her cookie was not enough bribe to divert my half hearted replies. As I looked down at her from our high raised table I noticed her looking up. Not to be too much distracted by her inquisitive glances upward, I dove back into my final email, frantically replying so as to expedite my brief absence of total attention to Ms. Royall. Then came the sentence of the week:
"Daddy, how come people put gum under the tables?"
Ok, so maybe that doesn't hit you like it did me, but what I got from that one statement: PERSPECTIVE. Frantically typing and trying my best at balancing relational devotions vs business responsibility (ok, ducking quality time is better). That comment totally smacked me out of my unrealistic multi-media escapade. The diverted Atlanta Bread trip was officially over. I shut the computer and was totally amazed. We walked out hand and hand, and got back to our "scooby" talk enjoying a ride of 7 minutes home through our neighborhood. I was reminded while I was surrounded by unrealistic pressure to respond to emails, buy off kids with cookies and divert conversation with quick glances and one word "uh huh's"..... Syd sees gum underneath the table. Perspective. It is amazing what two people observe in the same setting. For whatever it is worth, this is my inspiration so far this week. - Stu
1 comment:
I am humbled by the truths and simple beliefs that children hold.They are not tempted by having their minds filled with irrelevant garbage.My 10 year old daughter,Miranda Joy, brought me to the side of the road many times in tears and for forgiveness to my Father up above...simply by quoting verses from the Bible...simply allowing God, rather than herself, to speak the truth.If we allow God to speak for us, rather than our stumbling, bumbling selves, then much more love and peace comes about.I love the words of Jesus Christ in Mark 10:15 (New International Version)
"I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."I enjoyed "your perspectives." :)D
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