Summer means two things to my girls…ice-cream and swimming.
So last night, after swimming, Kris and I took the girls to get ice-cream.
We stood looking at the signs of the many flavors to choose from. There were simple-classic ones like chocolate or vanilla. Then the flavors got complicated as peanut butter, cookies, sprinkles, berries, and a swirl of other tasty add on’s presented themselves.
Taylor and Hope immediately decided on what they wanted. Sundaes. Easy enough.
But Kennedy [with her decision making handicap] wavered from the sundae to the cone, the sundae to the cone, the vanilla to the chocolate, the mint to the…oh, a cookie comes with that…how will I ever decide?
Mercy child.
She finally zoned in on a mint-chocolate chip, sugar cone.
We sat down on a bench to enjoy our summer treat. All was fine for about 30.5 seconds…then, Kennedy’s cone began melting faster than she could eat it. We now needed a cup, and napkins, and she was sticky!
As Kennedy settled into her cone, she began to gaze at her sister’s sundaes. Maybe they had made the better choice. She wanted to taste theirs, and mine, and everyone else who walked past us!
Frustration was booming up inside of me and finally I busted out, “Kennedy! Just eat.“ [cue mean-slightly-possessed-momma voice]
Finding satisfaction, whether it be an ice-cream flavor or specific color of a shirt, seems to be problematic for my Kennedy. She struggles. Always wanting life to be a party: fun, new, exciting, different.
While her need to be satisfied is one of the challenges I face in parenting her, she somehow inspires me through this struggle.
She is confident in who she is -yet more than willing to be shaped by others tastes.
I’m glad she doesn’t just eat what’s in front of her and never wonder what else is out there. After all, what a tragedy it would be for all of us if we never made it past the flavor of vanilla. [smile]
Sometimes we put people into categories:
-Like/Dislike
-Too young/Too old
-Too loud/Too quiet
When we make that judgment, we tend to immediately begin discounting the voice that person could be in our lives. Regret fills my heart at the moments, lessons, and gifts that I missed because of judgments of the voices I didn’t want to hear.
So, right on Kennedy…don’t, “just eat.”
“Taste and see that the LORD is good…” -Psalm 34:8
Look up, look down, look to the side…who is there? God may just be using the most unlikely person to speak into your life.
My friend, one of my mentors, and seriously fun roommate, Lisa Whittle, said it best this past weekend at the She Speaks conference: “We always have to be open to the movement of God.”
Yes, and amen.
Being content with what God has given us is Truth…but, always be open, ready and willing to taste, hear and experience God’s voice in new way.
5 Comments
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Hello Sweet Nicki!
I am sure that I can relate to your Kennedy more often that I would probably like to admit.
I have also been recently (constantly) reminded of that also – ““We always have to be open to the movement of God.”
PS-saw your fam(including the girls) coming in sunday at she speaks as we were leaving. They are SOOOOO precious and beautiful! The two younger ones were walking next to each other hand in hand……….. SO PRECIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-K
Kristen, she seems to identify with a lot of people! 🙂 ha! I’m glad you are also open to the movement of God! 🙂
What’s wrong with just sticking with vanilla? 😉 I can relate to your Kennedy too. I want to taste a little bit of everything. (smiles) I do want to open to experience God however He may present Himself. Many blessings, Nicki!
There is nothing wrong with vanilla! 🙂 Just good to add some flavor every now and then. hee hee. Many blessings you to!
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