Bubbles, a BIG yellow Dora Tent, and the meaning of Life

FF turned 3 the end of March. There is something amazing about a 3 year old! Her command of the English language is getting to where she can be understood, most of the time. She make up words when her vocabulary is lacking, unlike my toddler under 2 who just falls out in frustration when she cannot articulate what she wants. Play has become much more fun and imaginative. Her use of pretend is amazing, because it emulates the things I do all day. She fixes pretend food for fabulous picnics, talks on the phone and whenever I ask her to do something she doesn’t want to do she informs me that she cannot because she has to do her work! Lord, the things you show me through my 3 year old. You are teaching me patience (which I blow it most of the time), prioritizing (sometimes we just have to put our work aside to go swing or “hold-hold” when they want to, because a day will come when they are no longer interested), how to play (this is a hard one, because I am so driven – have to check off that list and get things done), and good money management (50 cent bubbles from the dollar store make her happier than the most expensive “gotta have it” toy out there).
Bubbles…nothing makes my children happier than for momma to blow bubbles for them in the kitchen. On a special day we will go outside and use the mega bubble wand which blows ginormous bubbles. The delight on their faces is pure joy!
FF was given a BIG yellow Dora the Explorer tent for her birthday. I guess the word “Mega” in the title of the toy should have tipped me off…it did not. I wanted to get her the cutesy lady bug tent with a tunnel. Her daddy wanted the Mega tent where all her friends could fit inside…seriously! I read that the dimensions were 5 ft by 5 ft and thought “well that’s almost as big as me,” but even with that thought the concept that it would take up my ENTIRE DEN FLOOR SPACE eluded me, until it arrived and we put that bad boy together. The biggest thing the Lord is teaching me through my precious family is sacrifice. Because I love my husband and my precious girls I will willingly sacrifice my House Beautiful den so they can play and be comfortable in their own home. I will die to self and sacrifice the Pottery Barn “too cute to be functional” ladybug tent for the Big Yellow Dora MEGA tent so that my husband is honored and respected and the gift he desires to give to our daughter is given. The reward? Seeing this precious 6’2” hunk of a man crawl into the tent to play tea party with his 3 year old…because it is 5’ x 5’ and he can fit inside! So what do all these things have in common? They are the meaning IN my life. They are the joys and pleasures created for me by a loving God and Savior who delights in making me more like Him in creative ways. Who knew that by moving me to the country, giving me 2 children 15 months apart, sending my organized/professional perfectly ordered world spinning completely out of control He would be working all things to my good because He Loves Me! Even better…He has given me wisdom to see it for what it is and to take the time to enjoy tea parties in the Mega Tent and ginormous bubbles outside. “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to grant you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11. Thank you Lord for taking me from where I was and bringing me to this life filled with abundant joy. Thank you for bringing meaning to my life!
Happy Monday!