Elijah and I sat on the front porch. The weather was cooler than a typical June day, and yet despite the heavy clouds and bursts of wind we were comfortable. He rested on my lap, his soon to be four year old head nestled into my shoulder.
We just sat.
I asked him what he was thinking about and after glancing around the porch he quickly replied — about purple flowers, momma. There was a huge pot of deep purple petunias sitting by the entry. Anything else, Elijah? I asked. He sighed, and looked around again and simply said — oh, and about God, momma.
I told him thinking about God was a really good thing and he quickly told me he knew that.
We sat there — him thinking about purple flowers and God — and me wondering about life and summer and words. I was mulling over how we define stresses — I hear it so much — I’m stressed about this or stressed about that — and yet, for myself, I wonder if what I’m calling stress should really be called stress.
You know, like getting stressed because I have to do the dishes. Or clean. Or run the kids to ballet. Or mow the lawn. Or plan homeschool curriculum. Or write a post by a deadline. Or get the car washed. Or take those pictures. Or fold the laundry I’m behind on.
I think I might have been calling blessings stresses. And not seeing the beauty of the purple petunias right in front of my face. If I had been Elijah I probably would have said — I see weeds in the flower garden — completely missing the beauty of the petunias right in front of me. Sigh.
I’m convicted to think before I refer to items as stress. I remember years ago, when we lived in San Diego {and yes, we moved back to the snowy land of Minnesota} being in a Bible Study with some lovely and wonderful ladies. I was this young mother, and we were going through financial stress — real hardship — and we were 2000+ miles from friends and family. After I poured my heart out in a prayer request the next lady was up to share. I can still remember sitting there, with my tear-stained face, as she proceeded to lament about how stressed she was in prepping for her trip to Paris in two weeks, and how she needed so much prayer.
Only seeing the weeds.
It stuck with me. That realization of keeping one’s eyes open and not allowing the blessings in life to become the stresses in life. And to be really really careful about what I ask for in a time of prayer requests.
Oh, to be like Elijah. To see the world for all it’s beauty. To be content to rest on a patio chair on a June afternoon and think about purple flowers and God.
Let me learn from him.
And see the purple petunias first.
{I’ve linked with what is on your heart.}
19 comments
Wonderful!
When I was expecting my oldest child, a woman at our church told me something to the effect of children having just been with God and they just naturally get it and how we lose that.
I, too, think of blessings as stresses. Today we all woke up late, but we needed the sleep because we have been so crazy busy–but all great things, time spent with family. I am “stressed” because we are late starting our light summer homeschool lessons and I have to be at work in 3 hours. All blessings, as I love being an assistant children’s librarian.
This is perfectly worded and written. How true it is… We so easily complain and get tired of all of the daily’s but really, if they were stripped from us we’d be full of mourning. I can relate to your prayer request in San Diego… I am right there where you were. Financial hardship. And it’s hard. Without a car, a computer, or the Internet. At least I have my phone and people are gracious to let us borrow things like computers and cars every so often and i have an iphone so that helps! – ha! And I do remember a prayer request from Bible study a few months back… Asking for the closing of their beach house -a 2nd home- to close speedily. Ugh! It stung me to the core. So I completely relate. You brought me comfort this morning. Love ya!
Beautiful flowers, wonderful post, and such a great reminder. Thank you for posting this!
your blog is incredible. it blesses me…you bless me 🙂 thank you for your encouragement. have a wonderful tuesday!
Nothing like looking through a child’s eye.
That is so true! I remind myself after a rough spell with my kids that my friend is struggling to have 1 child, so seeing my stressers as blessings is a wonderful reminder. Thank you! I love a good reminder to look to God!
Your words are always so inspiring! Your posts speak to me at JUST the right time! 🙂
And that is why I wrote this post a few months back about you, my friend! 🙂 I don’t know if you ever saw it, but I think your words are just SO moving!
http://mcgx2.blogspot.com/2011/03/i-said-yes.html
Have a great day! 🙂
I found your blog through the HH Hop and I am so glad that I did! Your words have blessed me. I don’t want to see my blessings as stresses – there is so much to be thankful for. I will be sharing your post on facebook and in my homeschooling group so your post can bless others. ~Rachel
GUILTY! Yes, I am guilty of that. I do feel like Chicken Little alot of times, worrying so much about the future, this or that, am I doing enough, are my kids going to be functioning members of society or delinquents and I don’t even see how God has blessed me. I have so much to be thankful for. Thank you for reminding me!
God and petunias….I can’t think of a better way to spend the afternoon 🙂
Visiting from the TOS Crew. I also have a 15 year old daughter going into 10th grade. Your blog is beautiful.
This is a beautiful post and something I needed to hear today. Thank you. My name is Nikki and I am visiting from the Crew! I look forward to getting to know you better as we write reviews together and share them with other home educating families.
Love reading your blog, and peeking into Elijah’s brain even for just a story or two. Thanks!
As always, you words make me check in and take note of what i am doing everyday. Thank you so much.
You see such beauty in the smallest things. Love reading these! Wanna learn about baseball games? Go to my FB page and read the post I stole from Angie Smith.
Continuing to lift up prayers!
Romans 8:33-34 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Prayer Bears
My email address
such solid insight into the way we let ourselves
be stressed over the things we are blessed
with. it must have really hurt to have your
heartfelt true need be followed by what seemed
like a superficial one.
i worry about that a lot. my husband has to
travel all the time. right now he is in switzerland,
and i should be there with him but am terrified
of those trans-atlantic flights. if i asked for
prayer for that, it could really hurt someone who
has a deeper need.
your precious little one touched my heart by
association God with those beautiful purple
flowers.
bliss … to see the world in all its simplicity…through the eyes of a child. Ahh!!! A great reminder to stop and smell the roses or the Petunias in this case…. ummm… do Petunias smell??
I found your post to be true and beautiful, also. Thank you!
Yet I have to pipe up (sorry): who are we (and I do this too) to question other people’s stresses and prayer requests? Maybe the person who had a second home really needed to sell it because of financial hardship. Or maybe the trip to Paris wasn’t all fun – maybe there really was serious stresses there she just didn’t share about (like fear or chronic pain).. But maybe in either case there wasn’t. And I do see your point about being careful and sensitive, especially during prayer requests.
Here from the Hop.
perfectly said, made me tear up….and beautiful pictures. I need to just sit and think about purple petunias and God too. 🙂