Complimentary

After Christian's party the other night I received an email from one of the moms who brought her son, a classmate of Christian's, to his party.  It brought tears to my eyes, encouragement to my heart, and joy to my soul.  This is part of what she said... Thank you so much for inviting [my son] to Christian's birthday party yesterday.  I just wanted y'all to know how precious I think Christian is.  At birthday cake time, he was so kind to make sure that everyone had a piece of cake before he had a slice himself.  What a rare child who puts others before himself.  It really impressed me ...  I came home and told my husband and he too was impressed.  Christian is so special.  I am so glad that [my son] has spent this year with Christian in his class. There is a part of me that immediately wanted to share this compliment with the world, the part that feels a sense of pride in his good choice, the part that wants him to know this kind of serving others pleases not only the grown-ups in his life but his Creator as well (surely He reads my blog) and I want to document it, and the part that wants him to feel good about what he did.  Then there is a part of me that hesitated to share it; am I tooting Christian's horn for him?  What are my motives? I don't know the answer to that last question fully, but I do know that it humbled me to hear this from another parent.  It was something that I didn't really notice.  I saw that he was helping pass out the cake (I was trying to take pictures, and focused on that) but the reality of his small sacrifice passed me by at that moment.  It is true that at many parties the birthday boy or girl receives the first piece of cake.  And he insisted on helping pass the cake out to his friends. I am so grateful that this mom happened to see his act, and point it out to Mike and me.  It helps me to see Christian's heart even better, more clearly.  You know how it goes when you're the mom, and the kid has been "good" at school all day...mom gets the 'tude.  And sometimes it's the 'TUDE.  Christian and I can butt heads a little, not unlike two grumpy goats getting one another's goad.  As for bringing out his best...well, I don't always.   So, to regroup my thoughts and consider all that he has going on inside of his head and world, and to see through someone else's eyes who he is, is so helpful in understanding and loving him well.  I pray that God will continue to teach me the best ways to love Christian, and that I will be an attentive student.  I want to be a complimentary parent, one who can come alongside and enable him to be his best.  Like hollandaise and asparagus or milk and chocolate.  (I'm so sophisticated.) Seriously, I long for Christian to continue to grow in his love for God, and his love for his family.  And I need God and family in order to do that.  That seems a simple thing to say, but for me right now, it is profound.

Comments

[Nan]

Awesomeness. I hope you let him read the note and told him how proud that made you. Nothing wrong with encouraging our kiddos when they do the right thing. :^) And I feel ya completely on the butting of heads thing. I have one in particular with whom I butt heads and you know what... others remind me of how wonderful a kid he is when I don't always see it so clearly!

And I love the, "surely he reads my blog" part. :^D