Upon Reflection: Week 2
Growth at the Pace of a Garden
“I just saw you three days ago, buddy! What happened?!?” the recent graduate said to my four-year-old as we walked into her open-house party.
“I fell off the swing and landed like this,” he replied as he demonstrated by twisting and bending his non-injured wrist.
Funny enough, the first time I broke my arm was also from falling off a swing. This isn’t the kind of experience I would hope to share with one of my sons, but here we are. We are thankful that he remains, by and large, unfazed by his new limitations, and we are hopeful that the fun we have planned for the beginning of summer can move forward as expected.
The biggest question on everyone’s mind is now: Can we still go to the pool?
We’ve just completed the first full week of summer vacation. The slower days and later mornings have been a refreshing, much-needed welcome to the season. I enjoyed routine early-morning walks, and the boys are adapting well to their new rhythm.
My intake dramatically decreased this week given that my attention was otherwise occupied. Still, I am grateful for the ideas I did encounter. I share them with you now.
The Feast
Books
Holy Hygge by Jamie Erickson (pages 1–70)
The Bible — Luke 12–15
Restoration (published by Every Little Seed)
The Body Teaches the Soul by Justin Whitmel Earley
Podcasts
Episode 1061 of That Sounds Fun — “Confession to God and Others Changes Everything” with Matt Chandler
Celebrate Kids Podcast — “The Belonging Built Through Conversation”
Episode 4 of Intentional Fatherhood — “Stewardship of Your Money: Radical Generosity + Purposeful Simplicity”
Conversations
Vince Black of Blackcone (upcoming guest on Thanks for Doing That)
Sharlene Provilus (upcoming guest on Thanks for Doing That)
Words from Others
“Character trumps competency… character is the highest competency.” — Kathy Koch (Celebrate Kids Podcast)
“Build a trellis today in faith that God can grow life on it—just be prepared for the pace of a garden.” — Justin Whitmel Earley
“…we are often guilty of displaying a radical love for the world outside our walls while completely ignoring the people in it.” — Jamie Erickson
“But encouragement is more than just giving a compliment. It is the passing of courage. To encourage someone is to give them the courage to face an unknown future, the courage to trust an unseen God, the courage to stand firm in a turbulent culture. Encouragement is no trivial thing. It is a weapon we wield against the enemy on behalf of those we love.” — Jamie Erickson
“The word hospitality stems from the same Latin root as the word hospital. In that sense, the very act of opening our doors and inviting others to the table can be both preventive and intensive care for humanity.” — Jamie Erickson
The Chewing
What if I viewed the work I do within the home less as a collection of chores and more as the cultivation of a space marked by hospitality, rest, and connection?
Am I more generous with my time, energy, and resources outside my home than I am within it?
Last week I wrote about viewing my home as a domestic monastery. This week I find myself wondering what habits might cultivate greater presence within it. What practices would help me become
more attentive and generous toward the people God has entrusted to me?
I also want to create an analog “quick list”—simple activities for margin moments, invitations to play, and opportunities for leisure that don’t require a screen or much preparation.
The Green Leaf
(From my journal)
May I be willingly shaped by this, my domestic monastery. May I be content with the givens of my life right now—broken arms, weekly travel for my husband, cancelled plans, and the many limitations of this season.
May I be generous in all ways to my children—generous in time, resources, energy, thoughts, and generous of heart as I parent them.
The Integration
More time with my children means more opportunities to correct them.
They are great kids, and they are still learning.
When my correction of them is more frequent than my encouragement of them, things go sideways. One practical action step I have moving forward is to seek out ways to be generous to each of my boys and to encourage them—to pass courage.
We created a spreadsheet with verses organized into the categories of Gospel, Wisdom, and Character. In a sense, it is a trellis—something simple and sturdy that I hope will support growth over time as I seek to remind my boys who they are, whose they are, and what matters most.
I believe God can and will grow life on this trellis. Time will tell how quickly this little garden grows.
This is rich and generous. Thank you.