The Fun Parts of Influencing

When our grandchildren come for a visit (usually because their beleaguered parents need a date night or a doctor visit), I do what I like to do: we either paint or play instruments. Of course, sometimes there's a meal (and a fluffy, mindless movie, if Yaya needs a quick nap on the couch). I'm not really crafty, but painting and playing music are my happy places, and I so want to impart that love to our little folks. When we paint, they all have their own pint-sized aprons and sets of watercolors. There are no rules or directions about what to create...they just have at it. Sometimes the colors are stormy and gray, sometimes drippy rainbows. I don't ask them "what is it?" -- rather, I ask them to "tell me about your picture." They always have a story. God knows we all need to take some time to listen to the stories of children, before we forget the wonder of seeing the world afresh. When they all get a little older, I'll start teaching them about perspective and lines and mixing colors, but for now I want them to learn to be comfortable with throwing any and everything onto the paper. 

Sometimes I need to practice my flute while the young 'uns are here, so we make our own little orchestra. Some of them play the piano (no banging!), some sing, some toot on the tin whistles I have laying around. Occasionally one of them will make something into a drum, and my flute cleaning tool becomes the conductor's wand. These are all brief forays into music land, but loads of fun and maybe, just maybe, will be small doors into the areas these children are inclined towards later. 

Whatever path God has put us on, be it the creative places or cooking or proficiency with a calculator, there are others, both small and great, that can learn or be blessed by those paths. To contort myself into subjects that bring great pain to me might be needful at times, but when it comes to my grandkids, we're going to go where the fun is. God made us all different, glory be. We also all have our compelling thoughts and agendas that dominate our lives. I figure there are greater reasons for these, maybe eternal ones, that I don't understand, but I want to be an influence where it's possible. Lord help me to not be an influence where I wane in my weaknesses, though there's beauty to be found from ashes. I know for a fact that this is true. 

And happy late Christmas shopping to all, as I am right there with you!