The Art Master

My daughter, Anna, fancies herself an artist.  There is no telling how many sheets of paper she has filled up with her drawings.

The funny thing is that her younger brother Vince, likes to draw too.  But, what Vince likes to draw are copies of Anna's pictures.

They aren't terribly good forgeries -- I guess what you would expect of a five year old copying a seven year old's art work.  Yet, that's what he draws.

At the same time, it speaks to me of my influence.  Anna is no Rembrandt in her art or, a paragon of virtue in other areas of her life, but her younger brothers look up to her and emulate her behaviors, both good and bad.

Somebody follows you, watching the things you do...

Jesus is watching, maybe Barack Obama is watching, but I know for certain that many little eyes are watching the things I do.  I not only can, but will influence them to do right or wrong with each decision that I make.

The Source of Strength

"I'm finally feeling better," the lady sitting across from me said.  "Thank you for hanging in there with me."

Tessa had been struggling with some mental health issues and we had finally found a medication that evened things out for her.

"That's what I do," I said, a little awkwardly.

"I know," she said and looked over at the wall.  "I remember the first time I came in here.  I wasn't in this room.  In one of your other rooms you have a picture of Christ at a bedside, bringing healing."

"When I saw that picture, I knew I could trust you, because I knew who you served."

I nodded.  There is no other explanation for why I do what I do.  It isn't for altruism, or some deep inner joy.  It isn't even for some amazing love I've developed for everyone around me.  Those things are great things to have, but they have a tendency to let you down, when you are tired, low on sleep, and frustrated.

There is only One who has never let me down.  When I am standing at a bedside, with nothing more to give, no special words to say, Jesus Christ is the One who keeps me going.

And if, sometimes I can bring a little light into dark situations, it is because He has brought light to me.  When I am not enough and I want to give up, He hangs in there and keeps on giving.  That is more than enough for me.

Like Dad

I was standing in the bathroom, waiting for Elliot to do his business, when my three year old son piped up.  "Dad, I'm like you!"

"Oh?"  I said, not sure where he was going with this conversation.

"Yes, Dad," he said.  "You like Mom and I like Mom!"

I guess it is a good thing that even at three years of age, Elliot can tell that his parents are in love.  Because, he is quite right.  I do love my beautiful wife, very much.

This is not a subject that I have spent much time discussing or instructing him about.  I am not a terribly romantic husband either, always showing up with flowers and chocolates.  Even so, Elliot figured it out.

There is more caught than taught.

Children figure out who their parents really are, not just what the facade is that they show to the outside world.

Someday, I hope Elliot says to me (not in a bathroom):  "Dad, I'm like you.  You love Jesus and I love Jesus too."

Yes, that would surely make my day.

 

A Sense of Quiet

We were on our way home from church, one dark and stormy night, and the noise levels in our mini van were approaching the levels found in a small jet engine.  Elaine said, to our somewhat noisy children:  "Let's have a game and see who can be quiet the longest."

Well, there is nothing like a contest to get our children's competitive juices flowing.  There was complete silence for about twenty or twenty-five seconds.  Then, from the back seat came the plaintive voice of Elliot through the silence.  "I lose," he said.

I don't know that my children are different from other children, in that they don't like too much quiet.  One or two of them are always talking and when they are present, silence must flee.

Paul told on of the churches to "Study to be quiet." (I Thessalonians 4:11)  I believe that many teens and adults struggle against quietness.  Whether it is with music or, conversations, it is easy to make sure there is not too much quiet time in a day.

And yet, it is in quietness that God's voice speaks to me.  For, it is in those peaceful moments, when all is still, that my soul is able to reach beyond these earthly bounds.  And honestly, that has never happened in my mini van.

"Good job!"

"Good job, Elliot!"  Elaine praised our three year old son.  "You stayed dry all day today!"

It is funny how as we age, we have to work a lot harder to get impress others.  I remember when I was seven years old, my mother would have me do large multiplication problems in my head and people would complement me (and her) for it.  But, I haven't been praised for that for a long time -- nor for staying dry all day either, for that matter.

As I think about my children, I realize that they don't need to do anything special or amazing for me to love them.  I just think they are pretty awesome just the way they are -- I'm biased that way.

There are times that I still want to impress people, but it is hard.  I don't know how to juggle, am not very good at Twister or Monopoly, and I can't stand on my head.  I can still do math in my head, but it's just not that big a deal any more.

My heavenly Father just doesn't care.  In a sense, I can't do anything that will impress Him -- He's just so much above my limited abilities.  On the other hand, I don't need to do anything to make Him love me.  God loved me before I was born and that makes me special without my doing anything at all.

Lion Underwear.

"Good morning, Elliot," I said to my young son.  "What's on your underwear today?"

"Now, this may seem like an odd question to ask your child, but Elliot has just transitioned from pullups to underwear.  The day before, he had been really excited about the fact that there were lions on his underwear.

"NOOOOO!"  Elliot shouted and ran past me into his room.

"What's going on?"  I asked Elaine.

"You shouldn't have asked him that," she told me.  "He is upset that I made him take off the lion underwear and put on a different pair."

Funny how when you are three years old, it takes pretty small things to totally upset your day.  I don't know how long Elliot had planned to wear the lion underwear, but clearly his mother didn't understand that one day is not enough.

I am not three years old and I don't need to be told to change my underwear every day, but there are times that awfully little things succeed in upsetting my day.  A car in front of me drives too slowly and turns my eight minute commute into a twelve minute commute, my schedule isn't what I want, or perhaps, I just didn't have the right jelly for my toast and suddenly I am irritable for the rest of the day.

In the end, if I can just yield these small (and sometimes big things) to God, they all work out in the end.  If I don't, I find myself in the same boat as a young man who had to change his lion underwear -- and that is not a good place to be.

Bulldozer

Elliot just turned three and one of his gifts is a lego bulldozer or, as he calls it, a "digger."  It is funny how a new toy in the household inspires battles, both minor and major.

It seems as though the bullodzer is the most coveted and fought over toy in our house, at present.  Anna, Vince, and Elliot all have wanted it -- mostly when one of the others is playing with it.  In another month, though, they probably won't even know where it is.

It seems to be human nature to want things that are new.  Every year, car companies release new versions of old cars and put out advertisements showing them driving, in spotless condition, under glowing skies -- all designed to stir up that coveting gene that resides deep inside most humans.

This is the goal of advertising:  not only to stimulate our desire for something new, but also, to stir our dissatisfaction with the old, not so good stuff we have now.

So much of the pursuit of grown up toys is just a glorified pursuit of leg bulldozers.  This pursuit won't satisfy, but more than that, it will only lead to increasing dissatisfaction with our aging stuff.

Vick's

There is a new (old) smell, wafting through the Waldron household these days.  It is the smell of Vick's Vapo Rub.

I can't say that my children enjoy being greased down (or is it greased up?) with Vick's, but it sure seems like they cough less after it is applied.  It is an old fashioned remedy that is still around today.

The smell is unmistakable.  I have but to walk into a room with someone who is wearing the scent of Eau de Vick's and you know, without a doubt that they are struggling with a cold.

I trust that Christian people are identifiable as well -- almost as though by an aroma that they emit.  It's a new scent:  Christianity por hommes and femmes.

The way that I give this scent off is by being Christ like.  For, only as I am Christ to others can I impact a world in a way that leads to Him.

II Corinthians 2:15  "For we are like a sweet-smelling incense offered by Christ to God, which spreads among those who are being saved and those who are being lost."