Making Do

In another land, far far away, the "football" (or as my son says, heavy on the accent, "it's football for the one where you say "hut hut hike!" and it's futball for the one that you play with your feet") season is in full swing. Here, we know little about that except for those who can search the internet and ESPN.com. But for the rest of us we are not surrounded by any of the hooplah, and yet as the result of a Friday night viewing of "Remember the Titans" last week, we have had our own little season opener that does not appear to be letting up any time soon.

It has been this small little bit of grace for me, watching my children this past week. Of course, you know, with my current down swing about our living situation I need these things! Living in a city and small apartments has had it's struggles for us with raising small children, something that was affirmed and also encouraged by an audio talk we listened to last year about Raising Your Kids in the City given by Tim Keller. Some of his points continue to stick with me. But anyway, even with the many withouts we muddle through, it brightens my spirit to see my kids flourishing in spite of it all.

They can make do with anything. Or so it seems, today at least.

They create homemade football teams and run plays in the smallish living room, even including little Scout who is probably the best Defensive End of them all. They come up with team songs, flags, and uniforms. They read about Moby Dick and create whaling ships with their legos (never mind all those other important themes that zipped right over their heads). They watch Chariots of Fire and make hurdles in the "hallway" behind the couch with their blocks. They listen to The Call of the Wild in the evenings before bed and spend the next morning constructing dog sleds out of Lincoln Logs and pulling one other around the hardwood floor with a blanket tied around their waist.

We had a day off of school on Monday, and being as tired as I was and having been away from the weekend with much to catch up on, I was sort of dreading a rainy day inside with three small kids. But they blessed me again by playing most of the entire day together, happily, with inclusiveness. I truly did have to give thanks. It was unexpected.

They are so full of observations and ideas and enthusiasm. A birthday card Skills wrote to his dad the other night read

Dear Dad,

I love you more than life itself. Or if I were to describe it another way, if someone were trying to steel you I would save you. But let's get that out of your mind!

I love you so much.

Happy Birthday.

It just cracked me up, this six year old and his way with words.

Then you have these two, settling in for a "drink" before going out to... I don't know, rustle up the outlaws in town?

Yes, that is all I have to say today. I am thankful for my kids. They make do with what they have and they don't even know they are doing it (and that is without saying I know they have A LOT).

It's good to observe their childlike way of life.