Sometimes I Just Need to Make a List…

…So that’s what I’m going to do for this post: make a list.

Things I’ve Learned from my Boys and Love about Them:

• I’m learning to see beyond myself
• Although cognitively and socially challenged, they can still have the mind of Christ.
• They bear His image.
• Patience. I’m definitely learning patience. Will this lesson ever end?
• Time is more important than plans
• “Being” is more important than accomplishing
• If I laugh, they’ll laugh
• My attitude sets the tone for their day…and then mine.
• Traditions are good as long as they have meaning behind them
• Judah likes our faces to touch

• Noah likes our space to touch
• Noah and Judah are God’s gifts to me to shape my character. I love that!
• Judah’s ticklish spots are God’s gift to him to make him laugh that crazy infectious laugh
• God’s gift to Noah is his dynamo mind to process, understand, and see the world so uniquely with SUCH a tender heart.
• Kitty litter in the bath tub really isn’t the end of the world. It’s gross, but Judah can take another bath
• They each have their own “hug shape.” When Judah steps off the bus, my arms form a Judah-shaped-hug as I embrace him. An hour later, Noah steps off the bus, and my arms are ready to greet him with a Noah-shaped-hug. No one else can fill those body-shaped-hugs like they do.

• I must learn to know God in order to understand myself
• I’m so far from perfect, yet I can still have the mind of Christ
• Although I make mistakes and sometimes fail, I am an image bearer of Christ because of His grace, mercy, and forgiveness
• Perseverance. I’m definitely learning perseverance. Will this lesson ever end?
• Daily time with Him is more important than my plans for the day
• Sitting at His feet is more important than cleaning my house
• His joy is my strength. He always provides something or someone to make my heart smile
• My attitude sets the tone for the day, so I need time with Him FIRST (especially when I have a full docket)!
• Routines are good as long as they include Him
• God likes our space and our faces touching. Propinquity.
• So do I!
• God has surrounded me with gifts (people and nature) that make me laugh and think. It’s often through these circumstances I gain perspective.
• He created me with my own hug-shape.
• But most importantly, His hug-shape for me was when He stretched out His arms to die in order for me to know the truth of His love.

Cliché? Maybe. But it’s true.

What’s on your list?