Parenting is exhausting at best and often leaves you wondering, 'do I really know what I am doing?'
We devalue and forget that they can make huge impact even when they are young. We are preparing them to be our future leaders, doctors, teachers, chefs, referees, pilots, and ceo's!
I love Tim Kimmel's comment in his book "Raising Kids For True Greatness"
Truly great people seldom simply happen; they are carefully groomed for the moment long before they are forced to face it.I captured a moment the other day that reminded me of the importance of raising Truly Great Kids!
Brady (4 year old) and I were out running errands. Like any 4 year old he was jumping here and there, touching this and that, pushing the boundary here and ignoring me there. After about 4 stops I was about done with the little guy! So much energy! Stepping to the side before entering a store so I could answer about the 9th text from several other children in our home, he kept stepping in front of the door of the store. It was a store with glass windows and he kept plastering his body and face against the door of the store as customer are trying to come out! Almost exasperated I called him back to my side AGAIN! Only to have him ignore me. I looked up from texting to see him looking at me saying "I got to do this"! I could tell in his eyes that he felt he had the right to ignore mom!
Well, he was right!
In his sensitive way, he noticed an older man coming up to the store that was having difficulty walking who also had a brace on his arm and would likely NOT be able to open the door. Brady...stepped up for the challenge!
That little boy has been groomed for the moment as we challenge all our boys when they can walk to open doors for girls and others. Even at 2 we would help him open the door because of course he couldn't...but it was the heart and the effort to give way to another. He was groomed for such a moment as this!
I was so thankful I got to see him act on what he KNEW he needed to do even though mom was completely unaware.
Others who observed it were in awe and said that was the best thing they had seen all year. I was able to share how God has given him a sensitive heart for others. I don't know if these people know the Lord but I know they 'experienced a mercy drop as Bill Elliff says' and will never forget that moment when a 4 year old went from plastering his body all over the store front windows to opening the door for another.
My prayer is my children will be a vision of mercy drops to those who cross their paths and will one day be a bold force for Christ. That doesn't start in adulthood, that starts the day they are born!
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