I don’t know who needs a cute picture of a boy who just lost his first tooth in their inbox today but…
Yesterday when I picked the boys up, I was deep in listening to the news. They told me (and I sort of heard) bits and pieces of their day, but I was admittedly very distracted. I did clearly hear when they asked me why I seemed so sad though. So, I gave them the G-rated version of the days events. It led to a discussion with them about the people we are called to be. “But mom, if God wants us to do good things, why don’t we always just do them?” I sighed, “Because the greatest gift God gives us is the right to choose. And we have to be brave enough to choose good, to choose love each and every time.” They nodded and then launched into a discussion of how great sonic slushees were. I hope the short conversation found it’s place somewhere inside of them to be accessed later. I hope I remember to talk to them again and often about what it means to choose good… what it means to act on the side of love.
Every. Single. Time.
I woke up this morning feeling kinda bad I was so distracted all evening. Because I wanted to hear what was going on (I’m sure we all did) in our nation, I had trouble concentrating on the world right in front of me. When this little face greeted me this morning, I was back deep into the news and almost missed the tiny hole on the bottom layer of teeth.
“Honey! You lost your first tooth!” I said. “No I…” he began as he felt around for it. “Oh no!” As he ran to his room, I quickly realized that he probably swallowed it during the night. He’s a little disappointed!
My prayer this morning is so hard to put into words, but I think it’s this… May we individually and collectively be given the grace to start today acting on the side of love. May we notice the good right in front of us and work to expand and stretch it so it may reach to the ends of the earth.
God gave us a choice.
Let’s honor it today.
