determination

I was running my 3 mile square a couple weeks back, and I noticed these little bumps on the black top.  They weren't in any sort of pattern, just random little bulges on the path.  Then a couple days ago, Faith and I were riding our bikes on the same square, and I saw what they were.  They were weeds.  These little tiny, fragile looking weeds that had poked through the tarred black top.  They didn't grow AROUND the black top, no, they poked right through it!  And they were all over, too!  It was amazing to me for a couple reasons.  First, I have planted many things in what I thought was optimal conditions, and they just don't make it.  And by optimal, I guess I mean not underneath blacktop.  And yet here are these tiny little weeds poking through the blacktop.  wow. 

But more philosophically, ahem, it's interesting to me how these lil things get what they need.  They need, sun, water, air - none of which are plentiful under that thick slab of tar.  So they start their journey, slowly, poking their leaves and stems upward, because they know that's the direction they need to go.  Obviously, there's no thought pattern or decision, etc, but still, they do what they need to do to survive. They grow, despite the obstacle in their way.  And if these little green weeds can do that, then I should be able to attack my obstacles, eh?

Mother's Day

So, it occurs to me this past Sunday, some things about giving.  Sometimes it makes me uncomfortable to receive.  I'd much rather be on the giving end, most times.  Not just with material gifts, but with acts of service, and compliments, credit for work, etc. 

Now, I haven't always been this way.  In fact, this seems to be a relatively new part of me, in the last couple years or so. In fact, it sort of surprises me.  My love language has always been gifts, giving and getting.  But lately, not so much.  I don't know why this changed, if it's normal, or even if it's permanent. 

So Mother's Day comes along, and I have to say, I did feel very special and honored, both by my husband and my kids.  But even as I loved the homemade gifts and the gift cards too, I think my biggest gift was seeing my girls ENJOY giving so much.  They were positively screeching with excitement to give me their presents.  They made a treasure hunt out of it, and I had to play the 'you're hot/cold' game to find them.  When they'd given me their gifts, they found stuff around the house to give me.  I even got a 'patch-patch' doll!  :) 

Anyway, I started to think that this is really really cool.  I think it's so important to teach giving, as I'm sure most Mom's would agree.  But there's also value in teaching them that it's okay for adults to be the honored one too.  If we underplay these days (Mother's / Father's, our birthdays, christmas present FROM them), then they may never cultivate that joy of giving.  Most kids don't need to taught the joy of receiving, it's true.  But there can be joy on both sides.  I'm learning that it's not mutually exclusive, for kids or for adults.