I hope I grow up to be as cool as my children

And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little boy will lead them. Isaiah 11:6

Yesterday, we went ice skating at Gorky Park, the same Gorky Park made famous by the 1980's thriller of the same name. They flood the sidewalks in winter, and you can literally skate all over the park. It was a fun (though very, very cold) day, and as I watched my children, I got to thinking of the ways I want to be like them when I grow up.

Ways I want to be like Sarah Beth:

• I want to be as compassionate for the wounded of the world. Sarah Beth loves babies and old folks, and she can be moved to tears by the plight of those around her.
• I want to be loyal like Sarah Beth. If you are her true friend, she will walk through the fires of hell to help you or to defend you. I am proud of the kind of friend S.B. is.
• I want to be a person who never sees value in the outside of a person--always the inside. S.B. cares not at all for what others think of the people she loves. You might be the most popular person, or you might be the outsider. It doesn't matter--she's going to love you no matter what.
• I want to have self-esteem like she has. She is not arrogant, but S.B. has a clear idea of how she wants to be treated (esp. by boys), and she does not settle for less than that.
  

Ways I want to be like Hannah:

• I want to giggle at the world like Hannah does. Sometimes, Hannah will just laugh because something is funny to her in her head. Suddenly, the rest of us find ourselves giggling right along--not because we think it's funny, but because she thinks it's funny.
• I want to be as honest as Hannah. Hannah does not pull punches about what the truth is as she sees it.
• I want to be as innocent as Hannah. Hannah looks likes she's 13 (a great cause of distress for her father), but at 10, she is definitely a little girl. She still wants baby dolls and barbies for Christmas--and we couldn't be happier about that.
• I want long-term friendships like Hannah. Hannah has had the same best friend since she was four. They are caring to one another, and Han often prays for Kelly. There are many other friends in Han's life, but she and Kelly will be friends for the rest of their lives. They love each other in a way that most children don't love each other. I am proud of her friendship with Kelly.

Ways I want to be like John-John:

• I want to be fearless like John-John. He never once cried about falling on the ice, and while everyone else cautiously teetered and tottered on their blades, John-John ran full strength everywhere he went, knowing he would fall down and not caring.
  
• I want to love all God's creatures like John-John. If you know John, you know he loves and adores God's "little guys," his name for all animals. I can hardly wait to surprise him this week with a trip to the Moscow zoo.
• I want to have John's appreciation for the value of falling down. John realizes, better than anyone I know, that you cannot learn to successfully navigate the icy paths without embracing the idea that you will fall. He doesn't worry about what others think as he falls. He just falls, laughs it off, and gets right back up to run at life. I am starting to learn the value of the days I fall down by watching John.
• I want to have a clear sense of who God is like John. John-John understands why we're here. In a particularly dark moment this week, someone said, "Why did we even come here?" In his six-year-old way, John responded, "Because God told us to." I think that's probably the only answer to that question that doesn't have us packing our bags to come home some days. God told us to. That's pretty simple.

I know that I'm just like every mom--I love my children and think they're extraordinary. But I have to tell you the truth. I know them so much better now than I did when I worked full-time outside my home. I know how their brains work. I know how much they love (or hate) math. I know how they see the world they live in so much more than I ever did before. And I am so grateful for that opportunity.

Well, it's time to make our traditional Sunday brunch. I hope this Sabbath finds you loving your children and being thankful for them. Blessings to you and yours!
His,
Kellye