Getting two kids out the door each morning in a reasonable amount of time is no easy task. I realize that many a mom and dad have done this long before I became a parent, but the job is nonetheless daunting even after both children got a good night’s sleep the night before and have awakened in a semi-good mood in the predawn hours of the morning. But add pouring rain to the mix, and time is the enemy. “Hurry, Hurry!” I tell the kids. “Eat, eat. We need to leave early with all this rain.”
The shoe search seems to take precious seconds longer this morning. I struggle to suppress a harsh tone as the thunder and lightning thrill my kids at the window. Rushing my kids to the car in the darkness of a full on thunderstorm, I do an inventory: backpack, lunchbox, extra clothes for the little one, phone charger. My kids are 100% dry, but my feet were not as lucky.
I sigh loudly and we are finally ready to go. And we are late.
And then, I am given a reminder:
“Look, Mama!” I hear my 5 (almost 6 year old she is quick to remind us all) from the backseat. “Aren’t you glad it is raining? We can see all the Christmas lights in the morning time today since it’s so dark out from the rain!”
We spend the car ride looking at all the Christmas lights between my house and the babysitter, pointing out our favorite displays that are shining through the sheets of rain.
The rain beat down on the car. The thunder rolled and the lightening crashed, but the spirit of my precious children was not shaken. They found joy in the morning drive to school.
What a lesson for me.
I certainly don’t have to list the many burdens we all face on a daily basis: illness, paying bills or buying groceries, layoffs, pressure and opinions from the people around us, loneliness, regret, fear. But seeing the light through the darkness means we have hope. We have hope that we are more than the problems that cause us to lose sleep at night. We have hope that we are more than illness that might have taken over our bodies or the overdrawn checking account giving us a stomachache. Having hope does not mean we live in denial. We know the problems are there and most people will face them scared or not. But when we can see, as a child, the light through the darkness, we can relax for a moment. We can breathe in the joy and it can help us get through the day, the hour, the moment.
I pray that you see the Christmas lights through the rain this season.
And I pray I will do the same.
3 comments:
I know I'm a blog stalker and I know I comment all the time. But I love this post. I love your stories, your hope, and your attitude. I love that you've committed yourself to learning just as much from your kids as they are learning from you. God Bless you and your sweet family, dear friend!
Girl, you inspire me! You need to write a book! You have excellent writing skills! Love ya! Hope y'all have a very blessed Christmas!
I am so late on this, but i am tearing up! This is beautiful.
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