{::Kid food:Hot Chocolate. Popcorn. Ice cream::Digging for clams at the beach::Concert in the Park::Library loot::Stamp-carving with my artistic little brother::Lots of drawing::}
The more I get to know my littlest brother, the more moved I am by God's time line. Very few couples marry, look into their future and decide; "We ought to have two kids; wait ten years, have another; wait ten more then have our last!" Most of us like to think some good planning will land our little ducklings all in a row. We are a people of order. Line it up. Check it off on the list. Wrap it with a bow. . . But haven't we learned yet? He laughs at our desperate attempts to hold tightly to the reigns of control. And, in His mercy, to keep us hopelessly reliant on Him, He messes up our straight lines and crumples our pretty packaging and. . . gifts a baby to a couple in their forties. (Or in their nineties and beyond, as was the case with Abraham & Sarah). He is often a God of curve-ball blessings. Ones He flings our way from an unlikely direction.
Connor has been our biggest curve-ball blessing to date. We simply did not see him coming. He's a gentle kid, packed with creativity. He is the best friend my children have. And we got him all to ourselves this past week; the longest he has ever been away from home. I was expecting sniffly moments, phone calls, and maybe a drive home. But, instead, we had so much fun that his mind was kept aloft. His thoughts never touched upon home long enough to miss it. For one week, I mothered my little brother; something I have not had many opportunities to do these past nine years. It gave me a chance to know and observe him more deeply. I love what I see. And I adore my God and his marvellous curve-balls.
The more I get to know my littlest brother, the more moved I am by God's time line. Very few couples marry, look into their future and decide; "We ought to have two kids; wait ten years, have another; wait ten more then have our last!" Most of us like to think some good planning will land our little ducklings all in a row. We are a people of order. Line it up. Check it off on the list. Wrap it with a bow. . . But haven't we learned yet? He laughs at our desperate attempts to hold tightly to the reigns of control. And, in His mercy, to keep us hopelessly reliant on Him, He messes up our straight lines and crumples our pretty packaging and. . . gifts a baby to a couple in their forties. (Or in their nineties and beyond, as was the case with Abraham & Sarah). He is often a God of curve-ball blessings. Ones He flings our way from an unlikely direction.
Connor has been our biggest curve-ball blessing to date. We simply did not see him coming. He's a gentle kid, packed with creativity. He is the best friend my children have. And we got him all to ourselves this past week; the longest he has ever been away from home. I was expecting sniffly moments, phone calls, and maybe a drive home. But, instead, we had so much fun that his mind was kept aloft. His thoughts never touched upon home long enough to miss it. For one week, I mothered my little brother; something I have not had many opportunities to do these past nine years. It gave me a chance to know and observe him more deeply. I love what I see. And I adore my God and his marvellous curve-balls.
