Porter's Plane

Here is Porter’s plane.  Porter is my cousin born in April this year.  The painting is meant to go in his vintage airplane themed nursery.  As I often like to pair words with art, I added a statement by Helen Keller when she commented on her experience of flying around the world at the age of 74 in 1955, “It’s wonderful to climb the liquid mountains of the sky, behind me and before me is God and I have no fears.”

I can’t think of a better description of human infancy than God behind us and before us.  I love that those words were spoken by one of the most vulnerable people of our time, unable to see, unable to hear, but more than any of us, capable of feeling the presence of God. 

So Porter, here is your plane.  I’ve left it blank for a reason.  I don’t know how it will look through your life.  Maybe one day a star, rank, and your name might be painted across it.  Or perhaps it will say something like Hawaiian Air as you travel the world to exotic places.  It may just read, Southwest as you make your way across America.  But no matter what kind of plane you fly or where it takes you, God will always be behind you, ahead of you, and with you throughout your journey.

Do you watch for cars?

Last night Cale, my husband, took SIP on a playtime extravaganza so I could catch up on work and have some much needed "alone" time.  I know, I have a wonderful man and he's a great daddy.  First they went to Tybee Island and Cale introduced SIP to tennis and the little guy made him proud with a promising lefty ground stroke.  Then they played hide and seek on the playground and tracking back home, stopped at the Islands YMCA for a round of hide and seek on that playground.  They capped the evening off with a brisk bike ride around the one mile trail at the Y. 

Cale jogged next to SIP as he furiously pedaled his yellow Spiderman bike.  Cale said, "You know buddy, on Fridays this is where I go in the mornings."  "How do you get here?" SIP asked.  "I run," Cale replied, impressed by such a clever conversational question coming from a very wise four year old.  SIP thought a minute as he often does when he mulls something over in his mind and then he looked up at his dad with a very concerned look on his face and said, "Do you look out for cars?"

The star chart

Each Friday we add up SIP's stars for the week that he accumulates on his star chart for doing various good deeds.  This morning I reminded him that if he had good behavior at school he could redeem his stars that afternoon at Walmart by getting a small toy.

Daddy picked him up this day so I was unable to speak with SIP's teacher myself and would have to rely on his word for how well he had done at school.  After school I asked if he had been good and he replied, "I didn't punch anybody."

Well little man, I thought, reflecting on my own lack of restraint some days, that deserves a star in my book.   

Going to Kindergarten

When God came to me one morning, more than five years ago, and said he would like for me to have a child, I was afraid.  I said, but I will miss this life of fancy free travelling, working, and all the things I enjoyed doing without tethers and other responsibilities.  But God was stern, and he assured me it would all be great if I would just trust him.  And he brought you into my life and you made me a better, more loving, generous, and interesting person and my travels have been richer and I’ve rediscovered a world of firsts and enjoyed them with you and cried with you and ached inside.  And five short years later, it is time for orientation at the elementary school and I am so sad and afraid because more than anything in the world…I will miss this life.    

 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.

-Proverbs 3:5

Sticks and Stones: Keys to Success

Sticks and Stones: Keys to Success: SIP sat in the backseat taking in the scenery.  It was a beautiful evening and we talked about the sunset when we drove over the Thunderbolt...

Keys to Success

SIP sat in the backseat taking in the scenery.  It was a beautiful evening and we talked about the sunset when we drove over the Thunderbolt bridge.  He commented that the swirly clouds looked like cotton candy.  Then highway 80 became historic Victory Drive and the landscape shifted from coastal to metropolitan.  I stopped at a red light and SIP commented on the Piggly Wiggly shopping center to his right.  " I bet building something that big would be a lot of work," he said thoughtfully.  "Yes," I said, "it would take a lot of work."  He was quiet a second then added, "and a lot of glue."

Will there be a bench there?

On Wednesday this week I drove SIP to a much anticipated birthday party for his good friend Sid.  While I drove I reflected on the nice concept of going to a birthday party at 4:00 on a Wednesday for a newly turned five year old.  As all moms know, four o'clock on a weekday in toddler world is dead time, no man's land, and also known as the bewitching hour when your otherwise precious child becomes a complete selfish, tantruming brat.  So, having a birthday party to go to was a truly special treat for both mom and child.      

Sid lives at the beach in an amazing beach house that SIP (and I) enjoy visiting.  We crossed the marsh on our way to Tybee and SIP began talking about Sid's house so I had to tell him that the party wasn't going to be at his house, but instead at the park.  SIP was quiet a few seconds as he contemplated this turn of events and said, "Do you think there will be a bench there to put the cake on?"