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Sometimes you just have to show up

Went up north yesterday to help this one…

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When she left for work she waved at me with a sweet smile and mouthed the words…”I’m sorry”…

on account of all heck had blown loose right after I cleared away the peanut butter and jelly sandwich crumbs.

This one…IMG_9003

was having a melt down.

And this one…

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was the COMPLETE opposite of what you see here.

It was nap time crisis mode.

So I enlisted the help of this one…

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I got the two older ones at least on Graham’s bed with some books, but Joel was screaming so loud there was no way I could read.

Frantically I handed Graham a Ranger Rick magazine and called out over the din…’Graham you are going to have to read to Emmett.”

With no pretense and complete calm…

as if we weren’t being assaulted by the most high-pitched wails and heart-wrenching angst of an 3 month old temper tantrum…

he looks deep in my eyes, as seems to be the only way the child looks at people, and says with measured honesty…

“Lola. (pause to make sure he has my undivided attention) I don’t know HOW to read.”

In desperation I just looked right back and told him that Emmett does not know that…so just point at the pictures and say what they are.

His little eyes brightened.

He gave me a broad smile.

And went to town.

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The kid knows his animals and even some trivia about most of them.

So he launched into storyteller mode so I could get Joel settled and Emmett would feel like he wasn’t cheated of his reading time.

You know…sometimes we think we just don’t have the skills it takes.

But being present with whatever we do have and being willing to use it to the best of our abilities is often the greatest gift of all.

God has given gifts and talents to each one of us.

Let’s offer them to Him with a willing heart…not worrying if we are good enough…but just showing up.

God bless you all with a wonderful weekend!

See you on Monday <3

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