where waves grow sweet

Hello! I have a few weightier blog posts floating around in my head that I haven’t yet had the chance to write down but wanted to share something on the lighter side that delighted me this morning.

Do you remember the post I wrote in September about helping Chase become responsible for getting himself ready on time for his morning carpool? Well, it has been so good for both of us. Our mornings are peaceful. There is no more rushing or nagging. There is rarely frenzy or chaos. I let him know when it’s 7:00, the time our day officially starts, but after that he keeps his eye on the clock and is almost always ready on time. When he’s not, he willingly accepts the consequence of having to get ready before his treasured alone time the following morning (if he isn’t ready by the time my alarm goes off) or the following two mornings (if he isn’t ready by the time the carpool shows up, usually a few minutes later). He playfully calls this his “punishment,” but I always remind him, “It’s not punishment; it’s training!”

This morning was his first day back to school after a 10 day spring break. I assumed it would be a rough one for both of us. But when I came out of my room at 7:00 to start making his breakfast and tell him it was time to get ready, he leaped up, all dressed and full of joy, to tell me he had already gotten ready and packed his backpack. I was completely delighted but baffled about his reason for this choice. When I asked, he simply said, “I wanted to make you proud!” 

This is a tiny little action that may seem insignificant in light of all the big needs in the world, but you guys, it warmed my heart so deeply and made me feel so loved. It has continued to make my day because the sweetness of it keeps wafting back into my mind. It showed me two things: That he knows what matters to me and that he is willing to sacrifice to bless me through that knowledge.

It couldn’t help but make me want to bless others in a similar way. My first thought was for God, my heavenly dad, because there’s nothing I want more than to make him proud. There is so much I’m learning about his heart and what matters to him and it delights me to think that despite all the big, hard things going on in the world, a tiny little bit of sacrificial love on my part could bless his socks off. My second thought was how much he loves his kids on this earth and how loving them well is something that is something that would warm his heart and make him feel deeply loved. 

I’ll be keeping an eye out for opportunities and will keep you posted. I’d love to hear any stories you have of ways you’ve been blessed or have found opportunities to bless others!