We got out the crayons tonight on the floor of my first graders room.
She opened up a Jumbo Christmas fun book tonight leftover from last year filled with word searches, dot-to-dots and coloring pages. She got out her art kit and went to work. After awhile, she ended up on a page (opposite an outline of a chubby laughing Santa) titled, “Wish List” and started in.
She wrote HORSE first. Then she went back and wrote “TOY” in front of it. I asked her why she wasn’t wishing for a live horse (because there is always maybe and someday). She told me this is her REAL list, not her dreaming list. A little part of me felt sad, like she had already lost a piece of her childness already.
Because I am at a loss for what to actually get her for Christmas this year, I was eager to see what she would write next. I asked her to fill in the rest of the list.
She said, “How do you spell ‘American Girl Doll’?”
A, M…
She stopped and shook her head. I asked her if she really didn’t want one.
She said, “No, I just don’t want to be greedy.”
And that was it. She left the rest of her list blank and went on to another word search for the names of Santa’s reindeers.
I smiled and decided not to make her fill in the rest. If she felt that way, I wasn’t going to quell that.
Greedy. What a lesson for me, as I walk through Target and the Mall and make my mental wish lists. Greedy. Even the dreams I have of Europe and maybe Hawaii again someday; my travel wish lists. Greedy. I try not to think even of the things I want to buy for my kids someday, the kinds of experiences I want them to have.
I’m trying to learn the secret of being content. I want to be satisfied, whether we have much, just enough or not enough at all. I want to be happy with my toy horses, and move on to more important things.
i too am trying to get that, that “i can make it through anything in the One who makes me who i am.”
Oh this is so sweet! What a beautiful reminder as Christmas approaches!
That brought tears to my eyes. How great that she is already learning these valuable life lessons.
Last night I spent about 15 mins talking with Hope about being grateful for what she has versus what she didn’t have. I say this not so much to “toot” my horn about her response when asked about the American Girl stuff. Rather, 30 mins after my talk with her I found myself complaining about something we didn’t have or some measure of discomfort I was experiencing. Immediatly, I though about the conversation I just had with Hope.
Needless to say….I was able to see the green “hue” of my greedy skin coming through.
Our kids teach us so much about how life should lived and responded to.
Excellent post and thanks for the reminder.
Love you
Hmm. I could learn alot from that little one.
you are raising awesome children…keep up the great work!
thanks, hope. =)
we are talking about contentment a lot in our house right now. thanks for a wonderful illustration of it.
I love you, Sarah Markley. I so love you.
Yes I too am still learning the whole content thingy, it’s hard to find in a world where we have instant most everything now. I think it takes a lot of patience to be content! Something I’m struggling with too. I want babies NOW! haha you can pray for me if you want. I am praying that God would use me to carry one of His precious humans so that I can raise it up in Him. God’s Will not mine though I keep telling myself. Grrr…P-a-t-i-e-n-c-e