Dates

My little clan has been classic, summer busy lately. After a much-too-busy week last week, we have made valiant efforts to be a little less so this week. I could tell my boys were a little out of sorts from all the fun, and I knew full well that I was too. {I'm discovering that I'm a bit more of an introvert than I thought!}

We spent a day or two mostly at home, catching up on sleep and laundry, but something was still a bit off in my oldest. He wasn't his usual self, but I couldn't figure out what the missing piece was... I closely watched his attitudes and reactions, amongst the usual behavior corrections. Part way through the morning I pulled him in to my chest and squeezed him tight,
" Little boy?"
 Mommy I'm a big boy.
"Big boy? Something seems a little off in you today..."
I know, Mom, and I just don't know what :(
"Well... if you figure out what it is, let me know and I'll help you fix it."
kay.
And off he goes to play.
Later in the morning I put Roo down for a nap and went outside with the boys, with the intention of getting done some much-needed weeding.

Mommy will you push me in the swing?
"yup."

As I loaded his giant, 5-yr-old body into the swing and strapped him in, something clicked- this is what he needed. I had been catching up on sleep and laundry, but not on quality time with him. Back and forth, back and forth in that swing, I pushed his growing shoulders. We talked, while little brother scampered off to talk to himself :)

Can we  go on another date, Mommy?
We talked about how the quality time we spend together on dates refreshes our hearts, and puts us back into sorts again. In the hot, July sun I felt the chills of a whisper from the Father. He reminded me of a special portion of my childhood, and asked me to share it with my son.

"Remember Grandma and Grandpa's barn? When I was your size I used to go out into the barn by myself, and swing on a rope hung from the rafters. I'd go out there and swing and swing, all by myself, and sing to God. It was my "date" with God, and it was wonderful. When I would get out of sorts I would go have a date with God in the barn, and He would put my heart back together."

Back and forth he swung, and his little heart pondered my story.

I wanna climb that tree, Momma, so I can go on a date with God.
"Little-big boy, you don't have to go high up to get closer to God. You just quiet your heart and He meets you where you are."
God is here, Momma, I know He is.


**October '13: in the months after this post I've learned a little more about this boy. I now think that when he said he wanted to climb a tree to have a date with God, he wasn't talking about being high into the sky/closer to heaven. I've noticed that up-a-tree is his "happy place". It's where he feels a live and free, and when I see it like that, up-a-tree sounds like a perfect place for a 5 yr old boy to meet with his God. :)