static displays

back in Jeff's flying days he was on occasion asked to go and "do" air shows. what that meant for his particular plane was that they wanted him to fly his plane to the air show location and park it - for days. he was then to stand next to it looking "pilot-y" and official and sign autographs and answer questions - making sure no one touched anything or decided to turn the jet on.

i've been thinking about that in regards to parenting lately. mostly because that's what i want to do.

at least for one of my kids i feel like i've got a handle on things so i want to put him on static display and stand beside him sharing my wealth of confidence and wisdom with all the poor saps who pass by.

truthfully, i think that sounds pretty good.

the problem is that raising kids is mostly like nailing jello to the wall - things are slipping and sliding all the time. they change and grow, we change and grow and no one gets to sign autographs.

every honest mom i know ahead of me on the journey says that about the time they got things figured out with the stage their kids were in - the stage changed.

so maybe, just maybe - 1) they're going to grow out of some of this and 2) if we fill our "toolbox" with timeless tools - the kind that go from toddler to teen - we just might eliminate some of the "shock and awe" moments to come.

that's why my tools have to work for all 3 or they're really useless. "listen and obey" is true for Matti the Great at 3 and mommy the stubborn at 3_. "bad choices always hurt" is true for running in the street, and running a red light. "speak with love and respect" is good at preschool and the Pentagon. you see what i mean - i think there's something revolutionary about the fact that God told us to come to Him as little children - we have to come in obedience, learning to love and serve and die to our own desires - just like the little people in our lives have to. the truths - the tools are timeless - i pray that my parenting has made me a better daughter to the "king" - you see I'm not His static display either.

so just a note to make sure your tools are sized for life - because they're aren't' any air shows or static displays or autograph sessions - there's just the constant of change.

Luke 1:37 - nothing is impossible with God!!!