The Company We Keep

The boys are now at the age where they are like little sponges. They don't miss a word, a look or a deed! They watch each other, too, to see how brother is doing something, to learn but also to file away the information.

When sister enters into the picture, even more information is processed and stored for later reference! One brother turns his sippy cup upside down, probably the other one does too. Sister dumps her dry Cheerios out of her bowl and eats them off the table, out go two more bowls of Cheerios onto two trays.

The boys watch to see what the other one will eat, too. It's kind of funny because the "littler" twin who used to be so picky now eats everything--I mean everyting--placed in front of him. The other, larger, stockier twin has become quite picky - mainly due to issues with texture:-)

Big sister has taught them a lot about how to be nice, how to share, how to sit at the table correctly. She's also taught them how to "raid the pantry" for snacks when no one is looking and how to claim a particular spot on the couch (middle cushion) as hers and only hers -- always. The boys consequently are quite territorial when they have a spot staked out, either on the floor, on the couch or on my lap! They also try to open every door, drawer, cabinet, container throughout the house!

The only other real influences in their lives right now are their family, me, and a few companions at 2-day-a-week daycare. So far, most of what they've been exposed to has been closely controlled and tightly guarded. But they're growing up. They're beginning to watch other people and file away information about their actions and their words. Soon, the world will firmly have a claim on them. I pray already for a hedge of protection around them and their sister.

Who we associate with has a direct relationship to how we act, how we think and how we live. If we surround ourselves with people who gossip, cheat, envy others, are judgmental, who lie, who mistreat others, etc., we begin to act and think and live as they do. If I don't guard my identity as a Christian, before I know it, I begin to act and live less and less like a Christian!

Sometimes we need to let go of people and relationships. Sometimes we have to take a stand about our faith. We need someone to whom we are accountable. I need Jesus. Every day. Every hour. I'm not strong enough or wise enough to stay in His presence without help. I need friends and family who know me and love me and help me stay on the path.

I will maintain my righteousness and never let go of it; my conscience will not reproach me as long as I live. (Job 27:6 NIV)

So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. (Romans 7:21-23 NIV)

Rejoining The Divine Conversation

This evening I "babysat" for the children I nanny for during the week so mom and dad could go out to dinner alone. I've done this before, but it has been a while. It was odd to show up as the children were eating dinner versus breakfast.

As the mom and dad were leaving they told big sister to 'help Mary.' She nodded, looked at me and asked, "Do you know which bed the boys sleep in?" The adults all chuckled a little because I've been caring for the children for almost 2 years and they have been in their current house (with current sleeping arrangements) for a little less than 2 years. Her mom suggested she may want to help me figure out the toothbrushes at bedtime and she was pleased to have that responsibility.

Sister was disoriented because they most often have a "real" babysitter on the rare weekend evenings her mom and dad go out. The babysitters might not know which bed belonged to which boy (except for the fact that they now have their names hanging over their beds). Mary comes during the day and knows how everything works in the day time (and even has the same rules as mom) but not at night. All of her points of reference were out of whack.

Mine get out of whack sometimes too. If I have not been intentional about my prayer life and/or I don't make a point to spend time in bible study I can get off track as well. It's so easy to get out of those habits if we miss one opportunity. The next time, it becomes a little less pressing, then before long, we realize it's been days (weeks? ) since we spent time with God.

When we realize that, we usually also realize why our life has been so out of sync. Fortunately, God welcomes us back into the divine conversation with gladness and rejoicing.

Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. [Joshua 1:7 NIV]

Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil. [Proverbs 4:26-27 NIV]