Lost in Translation

One of my favorite things about Mommyhood is that brief window of time when the little ones are learning to talk.  It is just so adorable.  Their words are so soft and light.....and nonsensical.   Baby Yahoo is talking like crazy these days.  But the words he chooses to use makes it a little difficult for people to understand him.  For instance,  he will say something is 'fluffy' if it is heavy.  Or he uses the word 'frumping' for something.  But my favorite is his use of the word button. 

"Ma!  Push the butt!"

His command for me to push the play BUTTON on the dvd player.  

Ha!  Push the butt!  Love it.

I have to admit that I sometimes manipulate situations just to hear him say things in the adorable way that only he can say it. 


But there is another thing that I love about him learning our language.  I love that I am one of the very few that understands him.  That I have to translate for him when he is talking to others.  That I know HIS language. 



I've had several conversations with other Mama's this week about their youngins.  Some have kids the same age as mine, some already grown.  But regardless of what season of life we were in, we all shared this overwhelming burden and even fear for our kids to be making wise choices, to stay on the straight and narrow.  Some of these Mama's have had to watch as their kids made choices that resulted in a lot of pain and hurt for everyone involved. 


I really struggle with fear a lot.  I fear that something like cancer is going to snatch my Yahoos away from me, or someone evil will snatch them when I'm  not looking.  I fear that when their grown their therapist will have to break the news to them how most of their problems are my fault.  But my biggest fear is that they will grow up to reject Jesus. 


I get sucked into the mindset at times that if I follow a good 12 step program for raising godly kids or read all the blogs of women who have done it right that I will be guaranteed a permanent status of Supermom with 4 Yahoos that are missionaries or pastors or on tour with Beth Moore.


Or the pendulum swings the other way and I am gripped with fear that since I have no idea what I'm doing most of the time that the Yahoos are doomed from the get go to have any solid foundation to build their lives on once they leave this sanctuary we call home. 


But then I'm reminded

So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty.

Zachariah 4:6 

You see, when I foolishly believe that my children's salvation is dependent on anything that I do, I dishonor the Lord and all He did for me on the cross.  When I put more faith in rules and regulations rather than redemptive power I attempt to rob Him of the glory due Him.  

 

The Honey and I have been wrestling through some decisions as of late.  And like most normal parents we consider how these decisions will affect The Yahoos.  But then The Honey said something profound .  When I told him it was profound (as if he didn't already think it himself) I told him he should right his own blog.  But he said no.  He would hate to show me up.  

Whatever.

Anyway, he reminded me that if we are living this faith our the right way....if we are pursuing and pleasing the Father....running towards Him....that our children will WANT to run that race with us.  Because the gospel does not need my help in making it attractive to my kids.  My kids, they don't need a weak belief system that it packaged up nice and pretty.  What my kids need is a Savior.  A Savior that heals their diseases and sets the captives free. And what better way to show them the love the Father has for them than through the sanctifying work He does in mine and The Honey's life.   

And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling,  and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,  that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. 

1 Corinthians 2:3-5

ESV

but I love the way The Message says it:

I was unsure of how to go about this, and felt totally inadequate—I was scared to death, if you want the truth of it—and so nothing I said could have impressed you or anyone else. But the Message came through anyway. God's Spirit and God's power did it, which made it clear that your life of faith is a response to God's power, not to some fancy mental or emotional footwork by me or anyone else. 

So I'm learning....learning to stop attending the 12 step mom meetings, learning to use grace and mercy instead of rules and regulations.  And learning the love the Father has for me so that when I am gripped with fear....fear and burden so intense that words won't come....that my silence and nonsensical utterings aren't Lost In Translation on Him.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.  And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. 

Romans 8:26-27 

So I think I will go find Baby and see if he wants to watch a video.  I'm in the mood to hear 'Push the butt.'