We haven't had a lot of table time this week, but I think the lessons we've learned have been invaluable.
Monday: A lesson in faith
While we were spending a morning with our friends, we found out that their Papa had drowned saving his son's life. We gathered in the 26 children and 6 moms there and prayed for the repose of the soul of Mr. Vander Woude and for Joseph who had been rushed to the hospital. Each day this week, we have talked about this tragedy and prayed for the family. Mr. Vander Woude has become a hero to us, and my friend Maryan, his daughter-in-law, has written a beautiful tribute to him at her blog.
Tuesday: Thinking small
Tuesday the big kids willingly worked quickly and then packed up some seat work so we could take the Charles, Cecilia, and James to Storytime. Not that the kids mind going to the library, but I appreciated their cheerful spirits. Later in the day Anthony told me, "Mom, I can't wait until you have #8!" "Why?" I laughed. "Because then we'd have EIGHT KIDS! And anyway, babies are pretty nice...." I agree, but this is not an announcement.
Wednesday: Thinking big
Yesterday, Thomas, Anthony, and Maria went with my friend Michelle and her kids to a rally for John McCain and Sarah Palin. Their impression of modern politics was "We got to climb a really big tree!" They were so far back that only the child who climbed the highest got a glimpse of the candidates. I'm climbing my mental tree to get a glimpse of an America that respects life....
Thursday: Making connections
We're back to the Vander Woudes although they haven't really left our thoughts. Today the boys sat with me to look at the pictures of their friends baling hay with their Papa. We talked about Sarah Palin having a Down's Syndrome baby and Papa Vander Woude saving his Down's Syndrome son. Anthony and I had a conversation about the sacrifice Mr. Vander Woude made and John 15:13. Charles remembered Joseph in prayer. We got an email saying Joseph is doing better but now knows his father is dead. And I feel like all my quiet moments are filled with thoughts of my friend and her family.
Tomorrow all the seat work that I had planned out on Sunday night will be done. But I feel like this week's real lesson has been over and over again that Life is precious. That, truly, Life--all human life--is good.
1 comment:
Respect for life. All of it. Yep. Me too. That's the lesson that I'm keeping. And my fil respected the people in his life too. He was so gentle (which he said that he worked to become that and that he wasn't always so patient - that's a consolation)... so I'm working on my patience with my children. Being gentle, respectful. And counting to ten and woring again on being gentle. I think it's a mountainous task... but I'm thinking I have a good intercessor.
Rachel, it was SO good to see you guys there. Right now we're licking our wounds and trying to keep our feet from sticking to the kitchen floor. ;)
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