Pure Delight
(Originally posted February 22, 2013)
We just returned from a wonderful fun filled cruise to the Bahamas with my mom, stepdad, brothers, Ashley (Josh's girlfriend) and my stepdad's parents. We had an absolute blast!
Considering the weather was less than ideal the first two days, the pools and slides remained closed on those days, and it was entirely too cold and windy to venture to the top deck to play putt putt (though we DID try) we had a little boy on our hands who was quite a trooper.
His behavior (for the very most part) was superb. He sat through long sit down dinners from 8:15 to sometimes close to 10:30 at night joyfully and was extremely pleasant. There were shows we attended that he was less than interested in, but he endured with minimal :) complaining.
There was also lots of water slide fun, putt putt playing and ping pong challenges once the weather warmed up and the winds died down on our second full day.
Despite almost perfect behavioral conditions, five year olds will be five year olds...especially if they are boys. There was a time or two, or seven, when Cliff or I would have to speak sternly, remind him who was boss, or reign in his tendency towards a smart mouth.
Within seconds and sometimes before we were even done with said "discipline," there was the loving voice of reassurance echoing through his ears. "You are such a good boy, Walker..." It's not that we don't constantly remind him of how great of a kid he is, and it's not that she doesn't respect our moments of discipline, but it is that a grandmother sees a grandchild through clean eyes and in crystal clear perfection. A grandmother delights over her grandchild.
On the way home, we were all giving Nonni a hard time. Cliff started joking with her about how she can take a 30 second story and effectively make it last 30 minutes. (That's no joke, y'all...) She's a trooper and replied something similar to "I may get on y'all's nerves now and I hope I didn't get on them too much on the trip but you are all going to miss it when I am gone." We all laughed and continued to share our favorite Nonnisms. I light heartedly brought up the fact that every single time she heard Cliff or I correcting Walker she told him what a good boy he was, as if he thought we felt otherwise. We laughed and she denied grandmotherly intentions, stating that she only wanted to let him know that Nonni thought he was the best boy ever. She didnt MEAN to do it while we disciplined. (She'd cracking up as she reads this, I am sure)
The best part was when Jer came to our defense and said he'd heard her do it like seven times. At least. Score! One point for the parents of the five year old! Then the kicker came when my stepdad turned around from the front seat and reminded her of how she did that with her own boys all their life, whenever he disciplined. Point two for the parents of the five year old! We all laughed and enjoyed the memories that make her "Nonni."
But as I was laughing, I thought to myself, "Is it really that bad?" Her goal above all else is to build up her grandson, whom she would lay down her life for and remind him of who he is, even when he has acted less than perfectly.
It reminded me of how God loves us. Not one of us is perfect. We live in a fallen world where we make poor choices, we live lives that fall very short of perfection, and we so very often have to suffer the consequences of our mistakes. But we have a father in heaven, whispering in our ear, reminding us of who we are, even amidst times of discipline. We have a God who won't let us be consumed by raw emotions, thoughtless choices, and negative self chatter. We have a God who created us in His likeness, who knowing us fully and being completely aware of how we would make bad choices, sent His son to die for our imperfections. And even when we fail, when we mess up, when we act ugly he rejoices over us and delights in us. Christ delights in US. Now that is something!
The Lord your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.”
-Zephaniah 3:17
We just returned from a wonderful fun filled cruise to the Bahamas with my mom, stepdad, brothers, Ashley (Josh's girlfriend) and my stepdad's parents. We had an absolute blast!
Considering the weather was less than ideal the first two days, the pools and slides remained closed on those days, and it was entirely too cold and windy to venture to the top deck to play putt putt (though we DID try) we had a little boy on our hands who was quite a trooper.
His behavior (for the very most part) was superb. He sat through long sit down dinners from 8:15 to sometimes close to 10:30 at night joyfully and was extremely pleasant. There were shows we attended that he was less than interested in, but he endured with minimal :) complaining.
There was also lots of water slide fun, putt putt playing and ping pong challenges once the weather warmed up and the winds died down on our second full day.
Despite almost perfect behavioral conditions, five year olds will be five year olds...especially if they are boys. There was a time or two, or seven, when Cliff or I would have to speak sternly, remind him who was boss, or reign in his tendency towards a smart mouth.
Within seconds and sometimes before we were even done with said "discipline," there was the loving voice of reassurance echoing through his ears. "You are such a good boy, Walker..." It's not that we don't constantly remind him of how great of a kid he is, and it's not that she doesn't respect our moments of discipline, but it is that a grandmother sees a grandchild through clean eyes and in crystal clear perfection. A grandmother delights over her grandchild.
On the way home, we were all giving Nonni a hard time. Cliff started joking with her about how she can take a 30 second story and effectively make it last 30 minutes. (That's no joke, y'all...) She's a trooper and replied something similar to "I may get on y'all's nerves now and I hope I didn't get on them too much on the trip but you are all going to miss it when I am gone." We all laughed and continued to share our favorite Nonnisms. I light heartedly brought up the fact that every single time she heard Cliff or I correcting Walker she told him what a good boy he was, as if he thought we felt otherwise. We laughed and she denied grandmotherly intentions, stating that she only wanted to let him know that Nonni thought he was the best boy ever. She didnt MEAN to do it while we disciplined. (She'd cracking up as she reads this, I am sure)
The best part was when Jer came to our defense and said he'd heard her do it like seven times. At least. Score! One point for the parents of the five year old! Then the kicker came when my stepdad turned around from the front seat and reminded her of how she did that with her own boys all their life, whenever he disciplined. Point two for the parents of the five year old! We all laughed and enjoyed the memories that make her "Nonni."
But as I was laughing, I thought to myself, "Is it really that bad?" Her goal above all else is to build up her grandson, whom she would lay down her life for and remind him of who he is, even when he has acted less than perfectly.
It reminded me of how God loves us. Not one of us is perfect. We live in a fallen world where we make poor choices, we live lives that fall very short of perfection, and we so very often have to suffer the consequences of our mistakes. But we have a father in heaven, whispering in our ear, reminding us of who we are, even amidst times of discipline. We have a God who won't let us be consumed by raw emotions, thoughtless choices, and negative self chatter. We have a God who created us in His likeness, who knowing us fully and being completely aware of how we would make bad choices, sent His son to die for our imperfections. And even when we fail, when we mess up, when we act ugly he rejoices over us and delights in us. Christ delights in US. Now that is something!
The Lord your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.”
-Zephaniah 3:17
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