When there's an inch of ice on the ground, covered by an inch of snow and the power's been off and on all week....
And when the littles are out of school and you've bundled up and headed out to play in said snow and ice 1, 2 or 587 times....
Even though playing in all that said snow's been great and all, by the time Saturday rolls around and those big Barnum and Bailey trucks are making their way into town?
Well, then one mama might decide she'd like to sit and watch an elephant entertain for a while, so she can you know, catch her breath and drink a cup of coffee. Or eat a bag of cotton candy or whatever (by herself.)
Surely when the Apostle Paul wrote Phillipans 4:7 he had the lady of the twenty first century in mind.
Because we all know that there's nothing like the roar of two or three dirt bikes or fifteen dancing performers, five galloping horses and two giant elephants to bring such peace that passes understanding.
Thank you Brother Paul.
Y'all know that I kid.
The truth of the matter actually is that I did thoroughly enjoy the snow and the ice and even the oddity of people and animals stacked mile high on objects flying through the air Saturday afternoon.
Even if it wasn't my choice cup of tea, we would have went anyway.
Because....this.
Most of the choices we make as parents aren't about us anyway are they? Of course not.
Many of my friends would tell you that (and this is the honest truth) half or three-quarters of what Tim and I do with the kids-we do it for ourselves too. While that really could mean that we are the most self-absorbed people on the planet, I like to think that we're just young at heart ourselves.
Now don't get me wrong, if I wasn't the mother of two small littles, there is no way I would have been at that circus on Saturday. No way.
But that look on Quinley's face?!
That's why we do the things we do as parents isn't it?
It isn't so we can say when they are older, "I was a great parent just so you know. I took you places and you saw things and looked oh so cute while doing it."
No. That's not it at all. And if that's all we get out of the money we've spent then I'd have to venture to say that we've wasted it.
We do these things because we take delight in enjoying our days with our families.
Just like the Father delights in us, (Psalm 18:19, Zephaniah 3:17) and no doubt, does some wondrous things in our lives just because we are His creation, created to bring Him glory...
We do the same things for our kids because well, we like to see that smile as wide as their face, those bright eyes and the wonder of joy in their expression.
You know what? I'd do it all again.
I would pay an amount of money that I consider a bit too much, sit in an uncomfortable seat to say the least, listen to the roar and breathe in the smell (oh the smell) of the circus, just to see the joy and delight of those sweet little faces.
I'm sure He would do the same for me.
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