Lessons

Emma leans over my lap, sitting at the table, whispering while she presses her side into my lap- It's good to have a mom. One of those new moments where she can tenderly express her love & affection as she grows into maturity.
On Saturday, I rush (as always) to not be extremely late to Emma's girlfriend's birthday party. I am so aggravated & frustrated as I drive there. I find myself behind the bumper of a very old, very slow moving, very long car. I sigh out loud & Emma asks what's wrong. She reminds me the old car can't go very fast because he's so rusty. Oh, right, I smile.
I have an enormous book of life lessons I have already learned from my three children, who haven't even seen even close to the number of birthdays I have. After the birthday party, Emma & I go pick out paper for her tea party birthday invitations & we decide to get a snack together. She takes my hand into hers & is elated that we can have a "date."
Jack will sit next to me at dinner on Sunday as close as close can be. He pulls on my chair again & again and begs me to scoot closer, Momma. I can't help but fall in love again with him, his dirty face covered by these sweet words, shoving corn into his fat mouth.
Come close to Me... Spend time with Me... Lighten your load...
Later in the evening, I stand at the end of the hallway, folding the never ending laundry, as Roy bathes the kids. Laughter & craziness spill through the door, flooding the hall. I can't help but laugh out loud.
Now today, wishing I could import my memories into this blog, I tripped & fell, trying to be sly on the treadmill. Somehow, some strange "Heather" way, my right leg got stuck to the moving belt, as my left remained stationary far away. The belt stripped my skin on my shin & knee raw. Of all the analogies I could think of and write of, there are many, but I guess the one that remains with this crazy brain this afternoon is that my Father continues to teach me & strip away at the yucky muck that clouds my life. Every day, He uses many situations, but He uses my children as well. Even this afternoon, as I am apologizing to my Sovereign Lord for thinking such self-absorbed thoughts, making myself too high & mighty and others much lower, my Emma prays and thanks Him for our blessed Taco Bell. In her prayer, she thanks God for our friends Michelle & her daughter Abby, and then says:
Thank you for showing them the cross, so they may know You.
Thank you for sending them Your Grace.
Wow! I am speechless. In the midst of her small life, Emma already has her priorities in check, pointing to the cross in even the small moments. I at the same time, can't get out of my chair quick enough to write down this prayer so I won't forget. (Not for learning purposes, but for a good story).
So once again, I remain the self absorbed, narcissistic, arrogant, low life, learning and being taught every day priceless lessons from my own children, as my Lord continues to try to strip away at my mucky outer layer.
Yeah- It's good to have a daughter... and a son... and a son...