sacred strokes

 

Ah, mom life.  “It was the best of times, it was the…”

Okay, no, it really and truly is only the best of times.  I don’t think anyone will ever convince me that it gets any better than this.  It may remain as good as this, and I hope it does, but I know this just cannot be topped.  Every stage is so special and there is much to be thankful for.  Sure, things take more time and planning than they used to, but so what?  I wish I could bottle up the sweetness of this age.  When your little one runs up to you, arms open wide, when just some love from mom seems to wash away all their worry or angst, when they learn something new so fast and you couldn’t be more awed and proud…  Toddlers are such special creatures in our midst.

Also, if they are anything like mine, they are total monkeys.

My son will get to wherever he sets his little heart on.  On top of a table?  Balanced on a windowsill?  The back ledge of a counter?  Oh, he will find a way.  And this little dude will haul our kitchen bench around to push it into just the exact right place that he needs it to be, levers himself on top of it, and basically he can access pretty much anything he wants.

Which is both impressive and inspiring… and terrifying.

Earlier this week, I heard a small “stuck!”  I walked out and my son had this urgent look in his eyes and he yelled out a louder “stuck!” at me as if I couldn’t see what was going on.

He had hoisted himself about halfway onto one of our bar-height kitchen chairs (translation: they are tall) and was trying to get himself on top of it.  He’s done it probably over 100 times.  He knows he can do it.  But for some reason that morning, he just didn’t have the oomph to get all the way to the top.

But giving up wasn’t an easy option either.

Giving up would mean letting his body drop the full 7 inches or so til his toes could touch the floor.  Again, he knows how to get all the way down from the top.  He usually just gets in reverse, belly-down and slides down til his toes touch the floor.  No big deal.

Well, this day it must have seemed like a big deal.  He knew what he wanted and it did not involve dropping to the floor.

He was just balanced on the side of the seat, belly-down, feet dangling, hands holding on to the sides of the chair seat, and he was not letting go.  He was “stuck” on that tipping point.

It made me wonder – how often do we get to a place where we know we can do it, we know down deep that we’ve got what it takes, and yet for whatever reason, we don’t give it the extra oomph to really see our dreams come to life?  We get to a point where it would take a bit more concentrated effort and we treat it like a standstill.  Out of fear.  Out of doubt.  Out of comparison.  Out of laziness.  Out of self-sabotage.  Whatever it is, we give in to it and we get to that place of “stuck.”

Well, just like my son not wanting to drop all the way down to the floor, when we give up, it can be just as difficult.  Just as detrimental.  We have something special to bring to this world, a purpose we can continue to unfold and discover and help to create each day.  And giving that up costs not only us personally, but all the people who could be positively impacted by what we have to offer.

I wonder if, more often than not, the cost of giving up is so much higher than the cost of that extra oomph it would take to stride toward our goals, toward our purpose? (shout out to our biblical friend, Jonah)

I only realized my son was stuck because he vocalized it – he told me, twice haha, that he felt stuck.  Was he?  No.  But he couldn’t see that.

I came over and gave him a little boost and there he sat, happy as a clam, on top of his chosen chair.

All because he let me know he was feeling stuck.  That he needed some help.

I think I will always wonder how, in many ways, toddlers seem to know more than we adults do.

If you are feeling stuck, I encourage you to not give up.  When you’re feeling this way, the first thing to do is to be honest with yourself and honest with God.  Bring your concerns, your dreams, your fears, your angst, whatever you’ve got rolling around in your mind – bring that all to God and begin to share with others.

Grab a bench.  Or whatever tools and resources will help you reach your destination.

Ask your mama to come lift your little britches off that dang tipping point.

…Okay, we’ll give mom a break – but seriously, ask for help when you need it!

Become even more resourceful.  No bench?  Grab a tote full of shoes.  My son knows that works just as well.

Figure out what you want, and go for it.  If it is in alignment with God’s purposes for you, I am telling you right now that no ledge is too high!

Prayerfully pursue the purposes God has placed in your heart.  He’ll not only give you the confidence you need, but He’ll also keep your ambition and ego in check like nothing else can.

You are the ONLY you.

And God made you for reasons you have only begun to uncover.

Go be big, my friend.  Be a wide impact or be a deep impact.  Or be both.  Just don’t waste this precious life God has given you.  Your worth is beyond words.

If my 30” son can get where he wants to go (sometimes with a little help), so can you!

Job 42:2, HLC