Entry #7

Ownership.

Lately, I'm trying to wrap my silly little head around that one.

Can someone really appreciate/respect something they feel they have no 'ownership' in?

I'm thinking not.

If you ever find yourself reading this blog for answers to life, bless your heart!  

I seem to know only one, Jesus.  

Past that, I'm figuring it out as I screw it up! :)

So, here's what got me thinking along these lines...

Last week we (my hubby and I) made a major 'shift' in our approach to loving on these kids.  (That sounded like a stinky agenda)  Guess you could just say, what we were doin' wasn't workin' and we decided to change things up a bit.  

Sure we were loving the snot out of these kids, taking them all sorts of fun and crazy places, but something was missing.  

Reality.

My kids....Ethan, Bella, and Isaiah, know I love them because they get to see me respond to them in so many different ways....wish I could say they were all positive but yeah, not so.  Tonight I made a new rule with my kids....

NEW RULE:  There is no need to say "MOM!" before you speak.  Just speak.  It seems that by the 156th time I hear mom in a day - I go mental.  Now I may regret this decision when everyone is blabbing away but you know, I'm figuring this parenting thing out....I received no 'certificate'! :)

So, just like that, my kids will get to see me sort through that rule.  Keep it, forget it, modify it, pull my hair out, whatever.  That is reality.   

Where am I going with this?  Glad u asked.  (You have no choice, you aren't here while I'm typing! )

Family.  It's messy.  It's very involved.  It's amazing, frustrating, hillarious, constantly evolving, and a true gift from God.  Today I read something that stood out to me, "God is more about relationships than what any 'one' person may do."  Theology, Sschmeelogy aside, I gotta agree.

If 'loving on these kids' ever becomes something WE do, then it really isn't worth doing.  Are we concerned with how these kids are responding or feeling about our times together...good and bad?  Do we want to play a REAL part in their lives or entertain them?  We are opting for the former.

Now, what does that look like?  We have some ideas that I'm certain we'll have to 'work out' together but I gotta say, they excite me.

Curious?  Well,  we are making the 'norm' meeting place our home, extending our time together, taking turns cooking meals for one another, doing homework, and yes, we plan to exploit their child labor while they're here and do some work around the house, ha!  

But finally I'm getting back to my opener.....ownership.

I believe some of these ideas will lead them to feel more ownership in our family and this thing called love.  I'm believing more importantly they will know Him in deeper ways through this too.

So, there you have it.  No answers.  Just a chick tossin out some facts about where I am.

Oh, and the next post:  designing and building a prayer shack in our back yard.  Dont worry, we aren't calling it a 'prayer' house to them....we are counting on God to spin this 'ownership' thing into that. :)

Much love.