Small People and Gigantic Things!

I was thinking today that young people amaze me.

Last night we attended Josh's 6 year old sister, Lizzie's soccer game. They played two on two and it was absolutely adorable. But Miss Lizzie plays way beyond her years! She's fast, competitive, has great defense and team work.

My friend Steph is also potty training her little son today as well. I made the comment how remarkable it is that as adults we have to remind ourselves of how to do the things that we've been doing for years, something as simple as knowing how to go potty on the big chair!

And just today, I signed up to become a lunch buddy with a 6th grader at a local school. The girl I'm a lunch buddy with has had quite the background, loosing both her parents, being raised by her grandparents and just recently lost her Grandpa and her Grandma has some severe health problems. This precious little life has had to learn how to live life basically on her own and she has had more adult size decisions to make her short years than some adults ever experience their entire lives.

I'm convinced that God gives us little ones to teach us lessons.

Many of my friends from college are now parents! I just saw a few of them last week. It's amazing to see how much their children look and and even act and smile like their parents.

My brother and sister in law have a little son as well. The little guy has the most contagious and adorable smiles and as I hear that he is learning new words like "Starbucks" I'm in awe! I see little mannerisms and gestures in him that remind me of my brother and of my sis in law (exciting side note...their expecting a little girl!!! Yippee!!!).

Being around young children can keep us humble and give us an attitude of always learning. Children can also teach us patience and long suffering when we're on our last straw.

Being a part of many teenagers lives has also helped to give me perspective. Sure, their music, their hormones, their cell-phone lingo and their attitudes have their moments of getting to me, but it's all apart of learning and growing and knowing priorities. There have been many times when I find myself reminding these junior highers about getting back to the basics, back to the essentials of living life as a young person but also as a Christian in a very privileged, yet ignorant society.

I thank the Lord all the time for the little moments that help me keep perspective through these young lives.