Bits of the World

"gathering up bits of the world & setting them out in an order that her children can understand"

~storypeople~

If you have read any of my blogs or know anything about me, you know I love storypeople.com quotes.  They make me laugh, cry and laugh until I cry.  But most of them really make me think....about life, how I want it to be, the people in my life and the relationships I have with them.

I really got to thinking about stuff today as I shopped for Mother's Day cards....How do we live our lives, as mothers...as people, so that our children or the children with whom we spend time, become better people.  The quote above really struck me after reading it tonight....reminding me of thoughts I had wandering the aisles of Target....how do we take the parts of our lives, the world and Christ love and make then applicable to a child.  I read in one of the parenting books (yes, I need help so I read), that regardless if you are a parent or not, every encounter you have with a child can leave an impression on their life, whether good or bad....only we are in control of that impression.

~I try to have fun.  Admittedly, before Tedi was here, I was bit more uptight, reserved, and boring....now, I play more.  I realize I can laugh easily at myself, with others, and at others that I love.  We are constantly laughing in our house...if you have been, you know this.  I hope that by teaching Tedi that laughter is truly the best medicine, he will grow up a bit happier and a little less serious.

"There are lives I can imagine without children but none of them have the same laughter & noise."

~Love.....showing love to the child, by discipline, in hugs, in kisses, in actions.... but more than that, our children must see us love those that may not always love us.  Love those that don't love us...that society tells us are not lovable...that is where the lessons really are.   Also, I can tell you that there is nothing that warms my heart more than watching others love my child....hearing my son tell my friends he loves them, watching him run into the arms of his grandparents...what does that mean... More than demonstrating your love for others to children, ( both your children and other children)...I find it important to surround your children with others who love them and will make a positive impact in their lives. 
"Everything changed the day they figured out there was exactly enough time for the important things in their lives."

~Work.....some people will say that women should not work.  Let's not have that argument here... But whether you are a working couple, working dad, working mom, single working mom..... Some days I am at work caring for other people's children wondering if I am doing the right thing being at work giving my life to other children rather than my own.....  Then I realize what I learned from watching my mom and dad wake up early and trek off to work..... I learned how to work, the importance of work and what it means to do your work well...too much of this is missing in so many of the children I see on a daily basis.....all I can do is live it, for Tedi and for the kids I see in my work daily....
"Standing by the window watching his father go off to run the world."

These are just a few things...but ones I wanted to jot down and share.