The Magic of a Third Grade Craft

Today, I watched a really cool 3rd grade craft demonstration. They fastened a white handkerchief over a solo cup with a rubberband; they then drew dots of different color sharpie markers all over the top making a pretty ugly mess; after that they dropped a couple of drops of clear rubbing alcohol over the marks, and the ugly mess transformed into a beautiful kaliedoscope of colors. All the harsh sharp edges and dark colors of the markers morphed into a beautiful, undulating tie-dyed creation where soft shades and hues seemlessly ebbed and flowed into and out of one another.

Since Bruce has been born, I have had to really lean in, cling to, and trust Romans 8:28. You see (and, I say this very gratefully) I am not the same parent for Bruce's babyhood that I was for Mae and Whitt's. I am more confident in my walk with Him. I have learned to turn more and more over to him, believing in/clinging to his promises, and through this continued process, my parenting has been reshaped with more of His grace flowing out. But, as I praise Him for his work in me, there is the sneaking regret that finds its way through the back door of my heart.

Then today I started thinking about how much I have loved watching Whitt over the past week and half. In one Saturday I watched as our little man joined us for a breakfast with the Youth Leadership boys at 7:00 am helping us with his baby brother, talking with the older boys, and only needing us a couple of times as we fixed breakfast and visited. An hour later, he was helping his brother fill his basket with eggs at a hunt, and he finished the day by working the yards with his daddy and the boys from noon until 5:30 (he even got to use the leaf blower). The next night his baby brother moved into the room with him and into a big boy bed, and Whitt eagerly taught him the ropes, leading the way through two stormy nights with no power. He really is turning into a little man.

Suddenly, the image was so clear to me of how God with His love and grace is the element that bleeds through all those ugly marks/ mistakes I have made and uses them to shape my boy into His kaliedoscope for His light to shine through, and although I know I have plenty of "I'm sorrys" in my future, right now as I look at the beautiful character growing in Whitt, all my regret is flushed out by overflowing thanksgiving, relief, and an even deeper longing to grow closer to my God.

PS-Growing into a little man can be some tiring work! Check out the video-I found our little guy passed out in the dining room floor, snoring away with his "transperformer". I guess a little man who says he no longer needs a nap, just might every once in awhile : )