Noticing Newness

Yesterday I was talking to the 2 bigger boys about the 10 commandments.  Working through the first five rather quickly.  I was using How to Bring Your Children to Christ..& Keep Them There: Avoiding the Tragedy of False Conversion and one of the suggestions to talk to your kids about the “Honor thy father and mother” commandment was to begin figuring up how much money it would cost to raise a child from before birth until they are out of the house.  Another suggestion was to show your kids pictures of their births (or the times surrounding them, you know, using discretion, of course) to let the kids see and begin to understand the loving sacrifices we as parents make for our children.  I did this.  Gently and with love.  Some of the pictures that I showed them were surprising to them.  Though they had seen all of the pictures from the most recent baby’s birth, I pointed out some things they had not noticed before.

How I was looking really scared in this one.

How I had an IV in my arm in this one and how I had to have oxygen and lay a certain way for the baby’s heart rate.

And then I showed them this one and we talked about how I looked so different just a few minutes later.  How, even though I was still in pain, the IV was still in place, I have a look of relief, joy, and absolute love all over me.  How I sacrifice so willingly for them.  How much I love them.

And we talked about expectations.  The feeling of entitlement that we all get.  That more and more and more is somehow owed to us.  When really it’s not.  When really all that we should have is gratefulness.  And respect.  And honor.  Because most of the time we don’t see the behind the scenes of the people around us.  Loving us.

We don’t see how messy, painful, and rewarding love can be.