Ten Little Lessons . . .

It's amazing some weeks what I learn from my kids. Sometimes it's just things about their personalities or relationships. Sometimes I learn things about boys that are just different than girls, ideas that probably never occurred to me as a child because they are so innately divergent from the way girls tend to think. Other moments I realize that the very basics of what they teach me are applicable to me in very big ways in my own life and I might have needed to be reminded of the simple truths in life, evident in their play. I've had a lot of these moments this week.

So, here are ten things I learned from my kids this week:

1 - Teams are important. It's very important to be on a team, to know who else is on your team and to set the ground rules for who your team is, i.e. good guys or bad guys and what you can and cannot do. Sometimes teams are not quite even in number or size of member, but a good dog with special force field capabilities and energy boosting powers can tip the odds in your teams favor by at least one member, if not two.

2 - It's no fun to be the bad guy. Everyone wants to be the hero, the good guys. When you are playing teams, it's important to identify the bad guys and if no one wants to play the bad guy then two teams can join together to fight an imaginary enemy, even while maintaining your own individual base. Sometimes though, we have to be tough, play the bad guy and 'fall on our sword' so that our little brother gets to be the hero for once.

3 - Weapons are crucial. Knowing what tools, weapons and powers you have and stating them out loud, reminding your teammates and enemies alike, can make the difference in a hard fought battle. It is essential that you have some kind of weapon though, even if it is just an imaginary sword, laser or super-duper-human strength.

4 - Always know where your base is. Home base is inviolate. No one else can hurt you there or invade uninvited. It's safe there and powers are restored there. Know where your own is and know where everyone else has their base as well.

5 - Do-Overs are great for everyone. Whether you are a 3 year old who didn't like how a pirate battle turned out or an 11 year old who discovered that every year at school can be a fresh start, it's always okay to go back to square one. Starting over with a clean slate and erasing all the rules and bad that went before is possible and refreshing for all involved.

6 - Baking is fun, even when you don't like what comes out of the oven. Sometimes, the process is more important than the result. It's okay to like all of the ingredients individually and still not like what they become when they are mixed together. It's okay to know that you love bananas and bread, but you don't like banana bread. It's also okay to have fun mixing up a concoction, even though the end result is not the Christmas cookie you were hoping for.

7 - The person telling you NO makes a difference. The entity that refuses your requests and disciplines you repeatedly sometimes will lose their effectiveness. Hearing NO from a new and different source can make a huge impact. Especially if that person is your Grandpa, who doesn't usually use the word.

8 - Staying on Green is awesome. When you follow the rules and do everything you are supposed to do, you don't get a 'color change'. The authority keeping watch over you notices that you are obeying and keeps track of it by not moving you off 'green' to something like 'orange' or 'red'. Better yet, if you stay on green for a whole week you get to dig in a treasure box and fish out something awesome and rewarding like a plastic spider ring. And even if you mess up, you get to start all over the next week.

9 - Changing your mind sometimes takes courage. It's not always easy to admit to the ones that you love you might have made a mistake. Your decision might not have been a wise one. You thought you had considered all the ramifications and benefits of a choice, only to find out that you were mistaken and now have doubts. Finding the strength to admit it and ask for help to change your mind is extremely challenging and sometimes comes just a tad too late. Luckily, if you have an awesome mom backing you up who is willing to look like a fool for you and jump through a lot of hoops on your behalf and who admires you for your courage, all might not be lost. Yet. We'll see. (Violin? Clarinet? Aaaagh!)

And 10 - Having Brothers is the best thing ever. Brothers (or sisters) are your best friends and your most trustworthy confidants. When no one else cares about the little stuff or wants to play the same game for the zillionth time, at least one of your brothers will. Having your brother next to you can give you confidence and support and love when you need it most. Just knowing you have a brother on your team, backing you up at home, can be enough to get you through the day. Two brothers is even better. Family makes the world go 'round.

So that's it - lessons from my kids for the week. Here's what I know: I am on Team Barrow. We fight together with other teams on Team God. Sometimes I am the Coach, sometimes I am just a player. I have lots of talents and weapons at my disposal and it would help me a lot to remind myself of that out loud once in a while so I don't forget. My home base is the Word of God. I do my best to stay on Green all the time, and even though I am not always successful, when I am my God rewards me with small and special treasures that take the form of encouragement and peace. Sometimes I have to fall on my sword, and remember to kill my pride for the benefit of my kids and husband. I do my best to mix up and build something wonderful with the gifts God gave me, but I don't always like the end result - even if it was what He was planning all along. Sometimes He tells me No, and it means a whole lot more than when the world tells me No over and over again. Sometimes I mess up, sometimes I have to change my mind and I have to confess my mistakes, sometimes it hurts to do all of those things. Jesus gives me a fresh start by His very gift and his grace, every single time I need one which is pretty much every time I take a breath. In the end, I am just trying to be one of the good guys everyday and when it gets tough I am grateful for both my siblings (and parents) by birth and all my brothers and sisters in Christ and in Life that support me along the way. Oh - and it never hurts to have a good dog on your side either.

What did you learn this week?

God Bless You and Keep You.