Last week Son1 brought home a 12x18 piece of construction paper. Each student was supposed to make a poster of everyone that is important to them in their life. Sigh...I can't show you the picture because once I thought about taking a picture, it was SO BEAUTIFUL with everyone's names, and you know how we are about names...
We went over everyone on the poster. Son1 kept cheering, "That's all my families! That's all my families!" Both great grandmothers, both grandmothers, and grandpa were on the poster. My sister and her son were mounted, along with my brother in law and sister in law. On GG's lap sat all five of her great grandchildren (including my two) that are Latino, Asian, African American, and Caucasian. Our immediate family was up on the poster, too, along with pictures from Awanas Cubbies, Sunday School, and gymnastics. Son1 was so proud! Plus, did I happen to mention HOW BEAUTIFUL this poster turned out?
We arrived at school and we pulled out the poster and proudly showed it to his teachers. I dolled up that flimsy little piece of purple construction paper to look just smashing. Ok, I am just being honest. So they loved that. But then as they looked closer, they had a number of questions. And Son1 kept saying, "That's all my families!" I answered their questions, and they were a bit surprised that we are so, um, United Nations looking, and not completely, um, organic, in the look alike sense. We don't all make up traditional families. And I smiled as I told the stories, because I love "all my families" to death. The teachers were so intrigued by the little tidbits I shared, and were so genuinely curious.
I went home and thought about how "all my families" have some cracks. But where there are cracks God has truly shined through. I hope Son1 continues to be proud all his families, regardless of looks and cracks!
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Can you blur out the names? Send it to me via email? I'd love to see it! I'm sure it was the BEST.
ReplyDeleteOkay I'm a visual person so reading your story reminds me of a talk Scott gave back when we were all in the same Sunday school class, back when we were all still young - before kids ;). Were you there that day when he took a flower pot and then hit it with a hammer? Pieces went flying everywhere I kid you not! Then he put a candle in it, gently put the broken pieces back in place, lit the candle and had us turn out the classroom lights to drive the point home. The point being that the "cracks" in our lives are where others can better see Jesus shining through.
ReplyDeleteOk this post was close to my heart! It made me want to cry! Being the type of family that we are and just to imagine what my sons are missing from a Korean Grandmother who has not seen them! Great Post and I loved it!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely adorable. I bet it is amazing! What a sweet boy (and Mommy!) You are so right; we need to thank God and have an open heart to see God through those cracks.
ReplyDeleteHeather,
ReplyDeleteI thought Scott also told the story about how the H20 pot was carried in China and had holes in it, but it turned out that flowers and plants sprung up all along the path that the person used to get water with pot full of tiny holes. I am sure your story was the correct version. I do remember him smashing the pot and scaring everyone to death!!!!
Seven or eight years ago was the pot smashing incident...yes long before kids!
ReplyDeleteI was so frightened I don't think I appreciated the metaphor, either. But these days I can appreciate the difference between cracked and broken.
For Anonymous:
ReplyDeleteI'm sure your right that Scott also told the water pot story. Somehow though the actual smashing of the flower pot stood out more in my mind, probably b/c I barely avoided being hit by one of the flower pot pieces!
BTW what does Anonymous stand for? Do you have a secret identity like Batman being Bruce Wayne or can you tell us who you are?