Thursday, April 11, 2013

Theme Thursday: Grow

My favorite time of the blog week! Theme Thursday with Clan Donaldson, this week: Grow!

I'm sure I'm not the only one this prompt had feeling nostalgic. But I have been feeling especially more so lately, because my big guys just keep getting bigger...and my littlest guy, he just doesn't seem like such a little guy.


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In that best image I have of myself, that happy, complete, Me Who is Me image, I see myself as a mom of babies. Messy hair, standing cockeyed with a baby on one hip and a toddler on one hand, and most likely pregnant to boot. 

Now, all that is left is the messy hair and suddenly I have become the mother of Sasquatch and Little Big Foot, and everybody in between.


And God asks so much redefinition, so much growth of us, asks us to leave behind these images of ourselves when they no longer serve us. The temptation is constant to fall victim of stagnation, locking ourselves in a place whose purpose and welcome have passed on. I pray daily that the Me who is Me is never left behind. 

And we become something new. And these boys, with their big ugly feet, they are so, so beautiful with Peter's still boyish face, and Isaac's round toddler tummy. 



These pictures embody the overflowing thanks I have that the Good Father lent these little souls into my keeping, His own immortal children, for just a very little bit.

16 comments:

  1. Isaac's feet are not so little "big feet". So much fun watching them grow!

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  2. You need to put a "Kleenex Alert" tag on this. I'm all weepy now. The text alone would do it, but the story coupled with these gorgeous pictures does me in.

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  3. Oh, I love this post! You described perfectly how I feel. In my mind, that's my purpose, that's what I was made for: to raise my sons. And now that they're all grown up and living on their own (well, almost--our baby is a sophomore in college and still comes home for his breaks), I'm at a little bit of a loss. I adore my husband, and I'm enjoying all the "date nights" we can have now that we're empty-nesters. But I mourn the end of that time I loved so much--and I miss my boys, who mostly live pretty far away. That's my cross these days, and I haven't been very good at carrying it! But I'm working on it.

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    1. Thank you for inspiring me to remember to focus on the "overflowing thanks" I must continually give to God for the blessings of my children, instead of moping that I can't have things the way I want them all the time!

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  4. What a lovely reflection, and beautiful pictures! Thank you!!

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  5. Toddler feet are just so cute...big teen-age feet...um a little cute??!!

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  6. What beautiful pictures you've posted here. Thank you.

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  7. Well, now I'm crying. And I went all silly with my post because it made me so emotional just pulling all those old pictures up, I couldn't stand to write anything touching about them. What is it about a tiny hand or foot next to one that is larger that just turns me to a mommy mushcicle? Beautiful post, beautiful children, beautiful pictures.

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    1. I kept mine light and silly for the same reason--and I agree, this is so beautiful!

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  8. My goodness, you actually brought tears to my eyes with this one. The reflection along with the gorgeous photos touched my heart. And the line "And God asks so much redefinition, so much growth of us, asks us to leave behind these images of ourselves when they no longer serve us..." I just copied that one into my prayer journal.:-)

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  9. Those pictures are absolutely gorgeous...and this is a beautiful post!

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  10. This is all soooo sweet - and I love love love the language you use - perfect!

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  11. Very beautiful! Both the pictures and the text. Tears, if I weren't so tired. It took us a while before we could determine that it was Peter! He looks so much like Jude at that angle.

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  12. In these words you so eloquently write, I find solace and gratitude. I truly thank you! Not only because these feelings are part of our shared human experience, but because they speak to our spirits to grow. And when we cannot pen these words ourselves, we can speak to each others souls by listening.

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