Being the bold person that I am and one who loves to visit people and make new friends, I asked this family if they didn't mind "babysitting" me and maybe a couple of my kids while the kids were quizzing. They were very gracious and had us back to their house while the older kids finished up at the quiz meet.
At first, one of my kids was not happy. He did not want to go to leave the church where they were quizzing. He felt that he would be missing out, but we knew he would just be running around like a crazy man, so we decided for him....he was going with me. What a good decision!
This friend's house was out of a kid's dream! For Christmas, they had built a climbing wall for their children (all 9 of them!) in a unique little room in their house - 15 ft. high! My son just about lost his mind when he saw that. Then they hung giant rings from the ceiling, like the ones gymnasts use. He played on those for hours! In addition to all that, they also hung a rope from the ceiling, like the ones they used to use when I was in elementary school, where you had to see how high you could climb? My little 5 year old/monkey could nearly make it to the top. It was funny to see the quandary it put him in - how do I get down without jumping and without getting a rope burn! He chose rope burn.
I explained to this mom how awesome it was, but I also was scared to death all afternoon that one of my kids would die, but they assured me, no one had been hurt since they set it all up. And no one did get hurt. I had to just relax! I explained to her I was very confused why God gave me 5 boys. She also had 5 boys, so she got it.
Her home was also very unique in that she used every space possible to have her family thinking about "whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable..." (Phil. 4:8) She did this by using up all blank space in her home. I'm not talking about a few plaques on the wall, though she did have that, too. No, she had painted beautiful verses, poetry, sayings, Scripture...all throughout her house. On the floor, on the walls of the bathroom....everywhere! You couldn't miss her very intentional desire to have her children inspired to think about what Paul desired we would think about in that verse in Philippians.
My favourite poem of all time was written on the dividing board between two rooms, on the floor. Everyday her kids probably step over it and don't even notice it anymore. I'm sure I did many times that day, too. But it is one to not miss and to reflect on every day. It is the famous poem by Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken:
TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
| |
And sorry I could not travel both
| |
And be one traveler, long I stood
| |
And looked down one as far as I could
| |
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
| |
Then took the other, as just as fair,
| |
And having perhaps the better claim,
| |
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
| |
Though as for that the passing there
| |
Had worn them really about the same,
| |
And both that morning equally lay
| |
In leaves no step had trodden black.
| |
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
| |
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
| |
I doubted if I should ever come back.
| |
I shall be telling this with a sigh
| |
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
| |
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
| |
I took the one less traveled by,
| |
And that has made all the difference.
That poem is one of the most amazing poems of all time. I love that she included that in one of the most central rooms of her house. It describes the life of a Christian, taking the road less traveled. It describes the life a homeschooler, taking the road less traveled. It describes the life of a large family, taking the road less traveled. But the final line is the kicker, "And that has made all the difference." I love that line! Being a Christian, homeschooling mom of a large family has not been easy, definitely the road less traveled, compared to most, and I, like Robert Frost can easily say, "And that has made all the difference."
Both our families eventually joined up for dinner when the quizzing was over, there were 22 of us (if you include the baby in her womb!). It was nuts! There were literally kids swarming around her house, but the 4 adults sat there like nothing was going on. Once in a while we heard a scream as my 3 year old was melting down from his loooong day and his earllllly morning as we had to get him up after 6 am, but most of the time it was just a dull roar in the background, as kids swung literally from the ceiling all around us or literally climbed the walls beside us. Hilarious!
Her meal was enough for an army, but she's just used to that, as she has an army! I was asked once in the grocery store if I was feeding an orphanage. I'm sure she gets asked the same. We all enjoyed ourselves so much as we were all on the same page, in the midst of raising lots of kids, figuring out life, figuring out what our husbands want to do when they grow up, trying to solve the mysteries of raising kids, trying to have our husbands around yet providing at the same time, trying to raise entrepreneurial-minded children (both of her sons passed us business cards before the night was over basically saying "Hire us! We can do anything!") I loved that. Changing diapers, but having a vision for the province and community around us! Wiping noses, but wondering how God can use us outside our homes. Doing everyday tasks yet wondering how our skills sets can be used not just now, but in the future. Our brains were going crazy as we talked and visioned and got excited about all the possibilities! That is true Christian fellowship! I loved that, too.....we could have talked all day and all night.....
Her home had an indoor pool at one time, but the owner before her filled it in and put a floor on top of it, so they have a mega-family room with super high ceilings. It is the perfect room to host events and they've done that. Such a blessing to be able to use your home for the glory of God.
All in all, a very full, inspiring weekend. Our kids left full to the top with Scripture, a few awards, full tummies, and minds, inspired by all that her kids were up to. I wondered how many would wake up the next morning with very sore muscles from all the climbing! We decided it was a good idea we didn't live next to each other, though we wanted to, as we knew all we would do was hang around and never talk to anyone else. I love how God places each family in the exact place He wants them. I told her of many families we know all around North America really that are doing amazing things. It sometimes feels like we are so isolated, but really we are just a click away from knowing these other families. God doesn't want us all in a commune only ministering to one another. He knows that's what we are prone to do if left to ourselves. However, we do need one another once in awhile to be inspired, to connect, to have our children see what other large families are doing. It was such a great time and I think we were all sad to have to say goodbye.
But to continue on with the verse from Philippians, now we have a responsibility, "What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me - practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you." (4:9) We literally learned, received, heard and saw many great things that day, from their family, even from their walls and floors! Now we have to go and practice these things, be inspiring to another family, or whatever it is that God wants us to do.
I told this mom, I nearly missed the opportunity to visit them. I really hardly knew her. I sheepishly asked her if she wanted to connect via email. I really didn't know if she would be open to the idea as she also hardly knew me! But, that's the fruit of going out on a limb. We were both blessed that day. Thanks for having us!!!!!
| 20 |
|
No comments:
Post a Comment