Preschool Carrots

I have to admit that, for the last year or so, I've had a hard time coming up with blog posts. Or maybe it's not that I don't have things to write about but rather I don't think my stories are that interesting. But I was talking to my mom this morning on my drive to my foot doctor and as I was filling her in on the latest goings on in southwest Kansas she would say, "I thought I'd see a blog post on that" or "I saw so and so last night and she was telling me how she keeps up with your blog". So and so happens to be someone I haven't probably seen in 15 years! Maybe it's time then to start posting , what I think, are some of my more boring stories. First up....pulling carrots.

Yahoo has started preschool this year and she loves it! Every morning she's excited to get up and go and every afternoon she rattles on about what she did that day at school. I love this preschool too. It's through the public school so I'm not paying tuition like I did with the boys in Illinois. She goes a half day every day and best of all it's only two blocks from our front door. Her teacher is young and only in her second year and she's great! Mrs. Lang is so energetic and open to all kinds of new things. I thought the preschoolers and their teacher may like to take a "field trip" to my garden so on Monday they came down to to visit me. I think teachers and schools should use as many resources in their community as possible and I'm all for volunteering my space and skills! 

Their class has 8 girls and 3 boys, poor boys! They were so quiet standing there as I talked, well all but Yahoo. We talked about how plants start as seeds and what they need to grow. They searched out my tomatoes and zucchini and helped me pick them. Then we looked at the carrots and talked about how some plants grow under ground while some grow where you can see them. The highlight for the kids was when each got to grab a handful of carrot stems and pull. Don't worry, I moistened the soil up really well for them to make picking much easier. Once pulled they counted how many they picked, usually four or five a piece. They all wanted to pick more!!! (Wish I could have taken pics but I kind of had my hands full and dirty.) We didn't have time to clean the carrots they picked but I sent some carrots I had picked earlier with Mrs. Lang that they could have for a snack. 

I was more than happy to share my garden with them and see them so excited about growing things. Later that day when I picked up the kids, not only do I get Yahoo but I walk three others to their day care which is our neighbor, they talked all about my garden and so I asked them if they enjoyed the carrots. A couple had no qualms telling me they didn't like my carrots at all. Got to love their honesty! 

Maybe this spring Mrs. Lang would be interested in bringing them all down to plant some seeds! Wouldn't THAT be fun! 

Sunday Devotions - Childhood; Intense love and learning

Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover.  When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it.  Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends.  When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him.  After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.  Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.  When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.  Luke 2:44-52

My boys Yip and Yap are getting the hang of second grade; longer spelling lists and more reading home. Luckily they have a great teacher this year that seems to really keep them motivated and engaged in their learning. 

More than once my boys have come home excited to share some tidbit of new information. "Did you know tomatoes are fruits NOT a vegetable?" " Did you know pigs are smarter than dogs?" It will be amazing what I'll learn by the end of the year with teachers like my sons. 

Even though my boys are only eight years old, and to me they seem so very young, they are learning new things everyday and given the opportunity they are excited to share their knowledge. That doesn't mean they always make the best decisions however. Yip made a bow from a stick and arrows from bamboo skewers...and managed to shoot me in the head while showing off hsi skills. 

Children are learning and they'll make mistakes. Even the boy Jesus made a mistake (a worldly one anyway). Instead of sticking with the traveling party or telling Joseph or Mary where he was going he stayed in the Temple to learn and gain and share understanding. He was following His Father's instructions. I wonder if the temple priests weren't just a little overwhelmed with the presence of Jesus. 

God sent Jesus to Earth not as a grown man but as a baby to grow and have a childhood and experience a childhood that each human on Earth experiences. Jesus as a child had that same willingness and excitement to learn as our children today. 

We know that God and Jesus dearly loves children in a very special way. In a way that I imagine I don't have the capacity to understand. God loves our children more than we do! 

Matthew 19:14

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

Matthew 21:16

“Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.

“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,

“‘From the lips of children and infants,  you, Lord, have called forth your praise?”

Matthew 11:25

At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.

Children can really try the patience of parents and other adults. Children are loud and messy and seem to be deaf when their parents speak. Children are reckless and impatient and have poor judgement. 

But God designed childhood to be just like this. God has a very special reason that we all had a childhood. 

Childhood is also the place in our lives where children nurture their dreams and creativity. Childhood should provide a safe environment for making mistakes and learning from them. God has provided children knowledge, faith, trust and understanding that adults may never truly fathom. Childhood is a precious, precious gift and we adults would do well to remember the details of our own just a little bit better. 

Yes, our kids can be trying. That's the way God made them....and they are perfect!! Childhood is perfect, and short, let's give our kids a break today. 

Dear Heavenly Father, Grant me patience today as a parent. When I feel like I'm at my wit's end with my children help me to remember that you made them perfect. Their childhood is fleeting and precious to them. Help me nurture them during this time in their lives and open my heart to learn from the. Amen.