My four-year old son is not perfect. In fact, occasionally he can be downright ornery. Or as the Chileans often describe him: "El Owen es lindo, pero tiene su caracter." ("Owen is cute, but he has his character," which is a nice way of saying he has a very stubborn streak usually demonstrated by crossing his arms, sticking out his lower lip, and refusing to speak or make eye contact with people who are trying to befriend him!)
On the other hand, he is a happy, confident, playful, sweet little boy. I'm pretty sure he feels loved ... and I think that makes him who he is right now.
For instance, when Owen wants us to play with him - which is many times a day - he asks us this question: "Do you want to play with me, or not??" He says it in this sweet little voice with a brief pause before the "or not" and then somehow those last two words come out in such as way as to a.) Make you feel like a real heel if you say no and b.) Characterize his happy-go-lucky attitude that really, of course, it's a given that you would want to play with him. I mean, who wouldn't??
This morning I was reminded again of his sweetness and how much I love that quality about him. Have you ever seen the PBS cartoon Caillou? Personally, we banned it from our house because my husband despised the fact that the kid always sounded like he was whining and never got in real trouble for his occasional bad choices. But the tune of the theme song is rather catchy, and somewhere along the way I made up my own words to it and often sing it to Owen when we're snuggling. My version goes like this: "My little buttercup, little buttercup, my little buttercup is O-wen" ... and etc. Today before school he was on my lap while I tied his shoes and sang him this ditty, and all the while he just chirped along and even added the little bidi-di-dip at the end. I thought again how sweet it is that he just soaks it all in and accepts that really, of course, it's a given that we love him.
I hope that his entire life he feels this way about our love. I hope that all of our children feel this way. But even more importantly, I hope that all of our children will learn to feel this way about God's love for them.
Because really, of course, it's a given that He loves them, too.
On the other hand, he is a happy, confident, playful, sweet little boy. I'm pretty sure he feels loved ... and I think that makes him who he is right now.
For instance, when Owen wants us to play with him - which is many times a day - he asks us this question: "Do you want to play with me, or not??" He says it in this sweet little voice with a brief pause before the "or not" and then somehow those last two words come out in such as way as to a.) Make you feel like a real heel if you say no and b.) Characterize his happy-go-lucky attitude that really, of course, it's a given that you would want to play with him. I mean, who wouldn't??
This morning I was reminded again of his sweetness and how much I love that quality about him. Have you ever seen the PBS cartoon Caillou? Personally, we banned it from our house because my husband despised the fact that the kid always sounded like he was whining and never got in real trouble for his occasional bad choices. But the tune of the theme song is rather catchy, and somewhere along the way I made up my own words to it and often sing it to Owen when we're snuggling. My version goes like this: "My little buttercup, little buttercup, my little buttercup is O-wen" ... and etc. Today before school he was on my lap while I tied his shoes and sang him this ditty, and all the while he just chirped along and even added the little bidi-di-dip at the end. I thought again how sweet it is that he just soaks it all in and accepts that really, of course, it's a given that we love him.
I hope that his entire life he feels this way about our love. I hope that all of our children feel this way. But even more importantly, I hope that all of our children will learn to feel this way about God's love for them.
Because really, of course, it's a given that He loves them, too.
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