Persistence

My children are aggravating me today.  I led worship and directed the jr. high/high schoolers in a drama about Fanny Crosby and her hymn: He Hideth My Soul.  It came off well, but it was some stress and pressure, and four and seven year old brothers are not known for their cooperative and patient spirits when mommy and daddy are trying to get everyone out the door on time for church.  For all my nagging, you'd think I was mute because they don't seem to hear any decibels right now except yelling... and nobody is happy after things get to that stage.

Nonetheless, my persistence with the Sunday school kids paid off.  I was frustrated at times during our rushed final rehearsal.  Dealing with volunteers in theatre is tricky because all you can do is hope to inspire them into commitment and clarity.  Thankfully, the Rosebud church crowd is very generous.  And the students held on to the dignity of being good storytellers.  I was proud.  There's Jonny Hamm, the quarterback of his football team, doing the solo dance at the end with a white slippery cloth.  Stunning.  Dave had also met with Liam, Zach, Morgan and Jonny to put together a quartet for the song.  I loved it.  It meant extra rehearsals in the week, but again, it paid off.

This was Donovan and Weston's last day with "Soft Paws" and "Piggy" the two stuffies from Donovan's class who get sent home every weekend with a different child with her little suitcase complete with bedtime story, journal, and toothbrush.  Donovan took pretty good care with her, but I've had to force him to do the tasks, especially the "journalling."  Once he does it, it's great, but it's hard keeping him on task.  I wonder if I should let him do it his own "easy" way instead of insisting he do more because he's able to do more.  I totally believe everyone is  blessed when you make the extra effort to make something original and personal... but I still wonder if Donovan should be challenged to that on his own someday instead of me insisting on it.  

Weston is persistent too, these days.  He wants so desperately to participate.  Dave was spreading weed killer/fertilizer on the back yard and Weston loves to push the spreader around.  All Dave let Weston do was water the lawn in preparation, so Weston had to stand on the deck (with soggy socks after he got a boot full) and watch his dad through the rails.  Dave also let Weston help flour the cake pan for Pastor Ray's cake.   Again: dust everywhere, but he was so keen.  So persistent.

Donovan is slippery when it comes to chores.  He can find a way out every time that looks understandable enough that he surely should not be blamed for not completing his task.  But I know his game because I used to play it.  He's so in love with creativity and getting to decide what to do with his free time, that it feels stifling for him to have every hour structured.  I want to remember this AND instill in him a good work ethic and a sense of priorities so he can see  where play best fits in.  He's so clever.  And he can be quite focused for a great length of time when working on a craft or drawing, but I get worn out asking him to help.  He almost never wants to, and can be quite disrespectful at times in how he lets me know this.  I'm concerned.  I know the right answer is again, to be persistent, but I don't want to over control.

But the other morning Donovan burst into our bedroom (you see, getting up is usually tough for him) and he ran to the window and threw up the sash and what to our wondering eyes should appear but a beautiful sunrise all rosy with cheer.  "Guys, isn't this the most beautiful sky you've ever seen?"  He was so excited to be the first to show us, and it was -- beautiful.  

--Outside our front porch has one or two flowers that haven't died despite the early morning frosts.  There's this one little purple guy who has burst up through the windswept leaves and seems to be just stretching and yawning for a new day.  This little flower, so fragile and young, doesn't he know it's dangerous to rise above ground at this time of year?  No.  All he knows is that he wants to see the sun and live.  Here on my front porch: another sign of persistence.