Who writes this stuff?

My photo
I try to keep my priorities in order: Jesus, my Andy, our children, everything else. I homeschool our boys, love to read almost all written words and have been challenged by the military life for 18 years. Right now my faulty human body is demanding a lot of attention. One day at a time, learning as much as possible every day and remembering to look for JOY when other things threaten to overwhelm.

My Blog Title Verse

"For the Lord gives wisdom. From His mouth come knowledge and understanding." Proverbs 2:6 NKJV
The Message translation puts it this way "God gives out Wisdom free, is plainspoken in Knowledge and Understanding."


Tuesday, August 31, 2010

The Coloring Pages of Life

Canaan pulled out one of my old coloring books today. An Ole Brumm malebok actually, which is the Norwegian version of Winnie the Pooh.

I can't remember if I picked this one up the first time I was there or had it given to me by one of my Norwegian friends, but luckily for me my mom ingrained in us at an early age a habit of "signing" our artwork. Across several of the pages are the names of me and my sisters and the dates when we colored them. It was such fun to see a moment in history recorded.

 It seems that we were all coloring together April 25, 1998. Why? I don't remember. It seems as if that would be spring break time - I would have been a sophomore in college. My youngest sister would have been 10.

 Canaan was looking through the book and read the date 4-25-98. He looked up at me and in all innocence asked, "was that back in the 1000's mom?"

 Seriously?!

 Yes Canaan. The year One Thousand Nine Hundred and Ninety Eight. The 1000's.

 He has always known the 2000's. Anything before then must be ancient history, surely!

 Thinking about it though, I realized suddenly that 1998 was 12 years ago. That date in April was before I ever met Andy, before I changed my major to child development and before my Mom lost her last baby, my sibling who would not yet be quite 12 years old.

 A lot can change in 12 years.

 But again, a lot can stay the same. At that time I already knew what I wanted. I wanted to find a man who loved Jesus even more then he loved me, and who loved me more then fame or fortune. I wanted to have children we could raise to live for J.O.Y. (Jesus, Others, Yourself) I hoped to birth some, and hoped God would give us more in other ways too. I wanted to write. I wanted to share what God was teaching me. I wanted to smile, even when it was hard, laugh through the tears, and love absolutely anyone God put in my path.

 Sometimes I succeed in those things I want. Sometimes I fail.

 Twelve years.
 I hope I have this Ole Brumm coloring book to look back on in another 12 years. I want to see Canaan's page, with his name, and the 2010 date written on it in 7 year old crayon writing.


 I want to remember this moment, and be thankful for it, no matter what the next 12 years bring.
 It's amazing what blessings a coloring book can carry.

2 comments:

Carrie said...

oh, that makes me sad that I don't keep stuff! :( I was a junior in high school at that time.... about to be a senior. ;)

EmileeHope said...

Love it!! We always were big into coloring! (I still am if you give me a book and some crayons/colored pencils/markers!!)
It is weird to think that the boys were not around before the 21st century. Of course, that makes since, all those teenagers I worked with in the play this Summer were born in the 90's. Yikes...makes me feel old!!