Being "Good"

Me:  "Faith, you are my favorite girl.  I love love love you!"
Faith:  "No, Daddy is my favorite.  More than you."

Ouch.  I have to say I kind of earned that one though.  Our Monday didn't start off too well.  Life here in the Frazier house during the day has probably been more correction that approval lately while I am home with the kids.  It is hard to teach patience when I seem to have so little, and it's hard to teach the kids to play nicely with each other when I choose the to-do list over them.  

It hasn't just been another school year this fall.  Kenya is looming before us.  Faith has noticed... she asks some nights who is coming for dinner, and is disappointed when it is just us.  She asks about what she can bring, what Kindergarten will be like, and who will be there.

But I am also very aware of the importance of a little bit of normalcy in my kids' lives this year.  It seems like a fleeting year to us, but I know it is not to them.  Joel is learning an incredible number of concepts as he grows from 2 to 3, and Faith's character is being molded as she grows from 4 to 5.  I don't want the kids to remember this as the year that mommy was too busy to play, too busy to teach, and too busy to have fun.

There isn't going to be any settling into routine this year for Jim and I, as our preparatory focus is constantly changing.  I realized the other day, however, if I didn't claim a little routine for Faith and Joel, that May would come all too quickly and I would have some ground to make up with them.  Last week, I made Wednesday their day.  We stocked up on library books and spent the morning reading all sorts of fun stories.  This Wednesday will be their day too.  I don't check email, I may not answer the phone, I don't check anything off my list, and we talk, play, and go on adventures together.  It is my hope that my actions and choices as a mom will be shaped by this practice to make our other days better too.

It is hard to be "good" in all the relationships in our lives all at once: with God, our spouses, our children, friends...  I think something or someone always seems to be in need of some "catch up" at one time or another.  But I do know if we strive to honor the Lord in these relationships, his grace is so much bigger than the mistakes we make.  

"The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast." (1 Peter 5:10)