Yesterday I babysat most of my siblings for most of the day. That is not very unusual; I babysit them a lot and I quite enjoy it. Yesterday was also bread baking day for me. I try to bake bread once a week. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't; it depends on the week. This time I decided to let Nathan and Brendan help me because they are always asking to help. I did not know what I was getting myself into. They were very eager to help but I learned that there "help" wasn't necessarily the help I needed. But that is not the lesson I want to talk about in this post. The lesson I did learn was that my siblings appreciate when take time to do things with them and that the extra effort I have to use to do that is worth it. Making bread with Nathan and Brendan took me twice as long as usual (and it is not like I have a whole lot of extra time right now), there was twice the amount of flour on the counter ( my family says I get a lot of flour on the counter when I make bread but I am pretty sure there was more this time because Nathan successfully dumped two cups of flour on the counter rather than in the bowl.) In the middle of my project with them I was getting a little frustrated with how long it was taking and how much effort I was having to put into such a simple project but then I was reminded of something I had recently read about how loving someone usually takes extra effort and self sacrifice. I realized then that I was showing my brothers I loved them and cared about them by letting them help me. So that was the lesson I learned yesterday.
P.S. The boy's bread turned out delicious and it only took me about five tries to get all the flour cleaned up :)
Haha! I love the story, Em! I totally can relate. I have to also learn about self sacrificing for my brothers, just in simple ways. They really look up to us! So, you and I are in the same boat. ;)
ReplyDeleteWhat a very valuable lesson this is sweetheart! One which you will have to learn again I am sure. I always must remember that whatever the project is, the project is not really the project. The child is the project. And the thing that you are doing is only a God given opportunity to love and disciple the child.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Daddy!! I will keep that in mind and put it to practice so I am ready when I have my own children :):)
DeleteP.S. For those of you wondering why it looks like I made that comment; it is because Daddy and I share a gmail account so my blog thought he was me. If that makes sense ;)
Wow, That looks like I am schizophrenic and carrying on a conversation with myself.
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