My house is covered in toys.
Long forgotten Pokémon cards have pulled out pour of the back of the closet and lively games have been happening in the living room.
Octonaut action figures I haven't seen in years, bey blades, craft supplies, an old rock collection spread out across several tables with many new additions, science experiments are sitting in shelves and trays in my freezer and random drawers. You guys, it's every where. I don't even know what some of it is.
An explosion of play and making and thinking and exploring that seems to be growing with the lengthening days.
On Ash Wednesday, we pack up our iPads and kindles and put them on a shelf. We still watch shows and YouTube, but we do it together and we try to minimize. In the first few weeks the boys go through a withdraw time. Usually they turn to reading. But with time, they unfold into the boredom and start to play, explore, and create. And with time, they pick up momentum. And suddenly my life is a chaotic mess.
By this point they are a frenzy of human growth. I always smile to myself with that proud mama feel that my kids are leaning into passion and the process of "becoming".... but also it's exhausting because my house is a constant disaster and i wish this process wouldn't be so upending. But I have to remind myself, the mess points to the beautiful process of getting in touch with the parts of ourselves made in God's image.
Modern life is fast paced and exhausting. My brain seeking a break finds a pacifier. My kids like pacifiers too. Something passive. Shows, social media, shopping, snacking, latest trends - entertainment.
In Lent, we set the pacifier aside, struggle with bigger questions and push back against easy answers. I question productivity and make space for reflection. I let go of extra to live a little simpler. I allow us to be less to create space for God to dwell with us. The practice often blossoms into children buzzing with energy.
Every Lent it is hard. It is hard to commit to and it can feel like a pointless exercise at times. Someone remind me why we gave up X again... Lent is stupid.....
but
it rebirths us again and again.
today i am grateful for Lent.
In the mess, I see Gods finger prints on my children's lives. Forming them into the light-bearers that they are and will one day be.
Thank God for this mess.
No comments:
Post a Comment