On being a child

Yesterday I started a drawing course. I like drawing and painting so I figured I should learn how to do it properly. I really do hope I finish the course... please Jimena! I've had this book for quite some time and it always seemed interesting but I just never took the time to do it. So, the first assignment was to draw yourself by looking in a mirror. It took me about 20 minutes; I was just drawing lines here and there, some curves before really looking at the picture. Then at the end I looked at it and I didn't really think it looked like me, but it still looked vaguely familiar. Turns out I think it looks a lot like my dad! I saw a picture of my dad when he was younger some months ago and really... the mouth, the nose. I know that of the three of us (siblings) I look the most like my dad, so it was really funny to sort of recognize him on my drawing of me. I think it must be amazing to recognize yourself in your children. The other day at school I was really touched when I made a realization. I have mentioned this verse before. Jesus said:

"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

He also said:

"I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

(Matt 18:3, 19:14)

I've always thought these verses to mean that we have to be innocent and honest like children, and that was a good enough explanation for me. But something hit me the other day at school. The kids had just finshed making drawings and as we were about to tidy up they ran to me so I would write their names and... maybe you can guess, to write "For Mommy" or "For Daddy". On some rare occasions they will offer them to me, but I practically see this everyday. So when I was putting their drawings away, I was thinking about how most of the children in my classroom show that they love their parents and look up to them. And I thought... wow, this is what being a child is like as well. Loving our Heavenly Father, wanting to be like Him, wanting to offer Him praise and worship. Wanting to walk with Him, eat with Him, play with Him. Talk to Him.... tell Him all about your day, your friends, your pains, your joys and tell everybody else about Him.
I remember that when I was a child I wanted to be just like my dad, and I remember how once he went to work and he forgot to say good-bye to me, and that just broke my heart. I cried and cried until my mom called him to tell him that he had to say bye to me. When he got back home I was so relieved to see that he wasn't upset at me, that it was all a mistake and not that he didn't love me anymore. Now as an adult I can also relate more to my mom and I admire her for being a great mom and hope to one day maybe be able to be even if only a bit as good a mother as she is. It's incredible when I think about what my mom and dad mean to me, and how there are times when only their comfort or support will do. Like when I was trying to bike again last year. My balance is very bad and I'm so afraid of falling, my legs are weak and I was scared to death almost, yet knowing that my dad was there... just his presence was enough to give me the confidence I needed. And off I went... just like a bird. So too, we are told that when we put our hope on the Lord, our strength will be renewed and we will soar on wings like eagles. How fortunate I am to have 19 wonderful little models of what it is like to be a child and love a parent with all our heart.