If It’s Monday, It’s Mama……on Tuesday, NEW YEAR’S DAY 2013

January 1, 2013

“A” is for Action

When you were 4, I received a call from Southern Hills Montessori requesting I come to the school ASAP.  They assured me that yes, you were perfectly fine, but that no, you would not come out of the top of the tree.  Mrs. Mailfald, you teacher, didn’t sound upset, or mad…..but rather, cautiously delighted. 

Says I to her, “really?  You mean Madison, my daughter, is up in the top of a tree?”

 

Says she, “oh yes, and a very high tree it is…she is almost to the top.”  “You might want to hurry.” 

So, I, being the good mother of an explorer daughter, pull up my pregnant self (with her twin brothers inside) and drive over to the school.  I don’t remember exactly what month it was….late October, I think, because you had on tights and a light jacket, but the sun was shining very brightly and the trees did not have many leaves. 

We stood there at the bottom of that tree, hands over eyes to blot out the sun and looked up high…very high…to see your little tight-clad bottom as it climbed higher still. 

Calmly I ask, “Madison, where do you think you are going?” 

Calmer still, you reply, “On a “venture”. 

 

A what?  A “venture. 

Mrs. Mailfald leans over and explains to me that you were in the “A”s already AGAIN at school, having gone through the entire alphabet already, and that this week’s word for you was “ADVENTURE”. 

“Where are you adventuring to?” 

“Heaven”. 

“Heaven?  Why heaven?” 

“Because when you are UP in heaven, you can see every little thing and every big thing.  It is the only place where you can see both at the same time. 

I look at Mrs. Mailfald….she nods yes…..and shrugs her shoulders in agreement.  They had been studying quantities and differentials – big/small, up/down, in/out, high/low, full/empty. 

And, it was a Christian Montessori, so of course, HEAVEN, was up where God lived and where all things are possible. 

Mrs. Mailfald said, “I think Madison was listening to our lessons.  I think she gets it.”   

What makes me smile most recalling this “Adventure” is that the three of us, Mrs. Mailfald, Mrs. Hartman (your other teacher) and I stood from down below, looking high up and trying to decide…do we make you come down (you really could hurt yourself…it really is a tall tree…you are such a smallish girl.  Or, should we let you climb to what you deem is the “top” and let God show you His handiwork? 

Hmmmm….. 

We stood, by silent agreement. 

We did spread out a little in case you fell so that hopefully, one of us would be nearby to catch you. 

Your little tennis-shod feet climbed higher and higher… 

“Mama….I am getting very high, am I in heaven yet?” 

“I don’t know, are you?” 

Little hands grabbed exceedingly smaller and smaller branches, you bit your tongue and kept climbing.  You were not slow about it at all, but rather moved with a purpose. 

My heart gave way each time you stumbled trying to reach the next branch to climb to….each time the branch seemed to get smaller and smaller in your hand… 

Until finally, you came to a spot in the tree where the branches had broken way and there was a clearing where sunlight poured in and onto your face so brightly that you could not see well to move farther. 

“I made it!!  I made it!” 

“And, it is B E A U T I F U L! 

You spelled it with a ShOuT!!!!! (yes, you actually spelled the word out loud). 

I can see Everything….and, you started naming off all the wonders you could see…one by one. 

The tops of houses, the birds, the swing set, the picnic tables, cars driving by, kids playing, the tops of or heads, the sun….. 

It was a life-changing moment….for you 

For me 

Then, as quickly as you went up, you “ventured” down…not at all afraid you would fall, but with child-like wonderful confidence that you could do anything, including coming down from a tree where you had seen heaven! 

At the last branch, I reached out my hands to catch you and you jumped into my arms….cheeks all pink and eyes are bright….joy on your face! 

I hugged you hard and with a grateful heart. 

“Mama….I had a ‘venture……and, it was good.” 

“Can I keep it?” 

“Can you keep it?”  “What do you mean?” 

“Can I keep it so I remember it?” 

I don’t know if you have “kept” this memory of the tree climbing adventure, but that was when, as your mother, I started truly journaling hard…writing details of your life so that one day, when time was once again my friend and I could sit to write, that I would have kept enough of the memory to write them to you. 

It seemed like such a smallish ACTION at the time, but now, as I find little written reminders of your life’s adventures, I smile…..and, I write.

So, as we head into this New Year 2013, I want to challenge you to ACTION. 

Life changing action…..committed action…..forward action. 

Those things you want to accomplish this year will not happen unless you work toward making them happen….work toward them. 

Prayerfully ask God’s direction for the next 365 days, whisper to Him your hopes and dreams of great adventures for your life….

 

Ready……Set…..Go

 

Gary Black……“is thinking: The best way to be a different person one year from now is to change your thinking. You will BE, 365 days hence, exactly where your thoughts take you.   ~Gary Black, Campus Director Southland Christian Church”

 

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead……James 2:17 

I challenge you to call upon the faith of your youth to grow your faith this year….so that you are ALIVE and have ACTION toward Him….. 

That same faith that drew you up toward Him by climbing the tallest tree….in four-year-old faith…. 

Have that, claim that, live that faith 

For the next 365 days…. 

And watch the mighty, powerful, beautiful, creative, consistent, true, amazing ways God will reveal Himself to you!! 

“Why are you sleeping?  Wake up and pray!”  Jesus to the disciples asleep in the garden Luke 22:46 NAB 

Because Action, at its heart, starts with waking up and praying! 

Blessings sweet daughter, 

ILYAOYMC,

Mama