Compassion

I had a really great day with my girls yesterday...we played with bubbles and sidewalk chalk, did the Cha Cha Slide in the front yard, and just generally had fun. It was a beautiful, sunny afternoon, and the kids got out of school early, so I was able to spend more time with them than usual-my favorite kind of day. For dinner, we had a freshly made chef salad piled high with tons of veggies, diced ham, sliced hard boiled egg, cheese and dressing and we all sat at my grandmother's very old dining table laughing and joking together as we ate. It was great!

Unfortunately, as evening came on I developed a terrible headache. By 7, I had the littles all sprawled around the living room watching Anne of Green Gables on PBS as I rested on the couch. As soon as it was 8 o'clock, I told the girls it was time for them to go to bed-and I wearily plodded upstairs to my own bed. My head was hurting so badly. I walked into my hot, dark room, plopped down on my bed, and lay there hoping my headache would subside.

All of a sudden the silence was broken. "Echoooooooooooooooooooooo! I'm a BEAST!" My 15 year old son, Christian, was home from visiting with his girlfriend. (He knows how to make a grand entrance.) I could hear him and Echo talking downstairs-Christian noticed that I wasn't downstairs, and it was fairly early in the evening-this is unusual for me.
Christian: Where's mom?
Echo: She's upstairs in bed.
Christian: She is?? Is she ok?
Echo: She has a headache.

I hear someone walking upstairs. My son cracks my bedroom door open.
Christian: Mom? Are you ok?
Me: I just have a bad migraine, son.
Christian: Man, mom, it's hot in here! Let me open your bedroom window. Here, i'll put the fan on for you. Do you need anything else? I'll shut the door so the hallway light doesn't bother your eyes. I hope you feel better! I love you, mom.
(Opens window, fussily points the fan in my direction to cool me off, closes door and leaves me to be miserable lol)

A few minutes later, the door cracks open just slightly, and I hear a tiny, squeaky voice talking to me...
Autumn (age 6): I laid out my clothes for tomorrow, mommy.
Me: You did? (Surprised, because usually she likes me to pick out her outfit for her.)
Autumn: Yeah. I heard you had a headache, and I didn't want to disturb you.
(When did she learn the word disturb? She said it so adorably...distowb. She still has trouble with her r's.)
Me: Well, thank you so much! I'm very proud of you for being kind and considerate. Come give mommy a kiss.
Autumn: Are you still gonna tuck us in??
Me: Of course, i'll be in in a few minutes.
(Autumn hugs and kisses me to pieces, shuts my bedroom door behind her, and goes to bed with her sissies.)

As I lay there in the dark, I felt so overwhelmed with emotion that my children would be so sweet and compassionate, so tender. They are so good to me. I mean, we do have our moments of chaos and misbehavior, but my children really treat me well. They make me feel so special. I find little notes and drawings all over the house from the littles ("I love mom", "mom, come to my party" "picture of me and mom playing", etc.) They bring me little trinkets like flowers and pretty rocks as tokens of their affection. Even my older two tell me they love me often, encourage me when I take on something new, and sometimes even leave little love notes for me on the computer. They hug and kiss me all the time, even my adolescent son! It makes me so happy that my kids embrace me and don't push me away. (For the most part they don't push me away-the teens do have their moments haha.)

My children are not just good to me, though. They are kind and caring to others. It really affects them to see another person having a hard time or suffering. This is one thing I truly love about my kids. In this day and age, so many children are becoming desensitized to the needs and feelings of others, and I think it is important to try to teach them the Fruits of the Spirit.

Colossians 3:12 says:
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

I think this is probably a verse we all could benefit from learning.