beWARM

Being in Portland blessed me with a Triple Treat – sharing 24 hours with Fabulenza, Theo the Magnificent, and The Divine Miss V. I must say, being in the company of precious grandchildren puts a unique spin on one’s view of the world…and I would guess that any grandparent would agree.

Of course, Enza and I had our customary ice cream outing. Her ability to chow down a good sized serving of her favorite confection and then “taste” at least four spoonfuls of mine is quite the achievement.

What struck me as Enza reached up to grasp my hand (a pleasure I will never tire of) was her  complete trust in my knowledge of where I was leading her. Does Nana really know how to get to the ice cream place ? was nary a passing thought.

Without a second glance, Theo readily accepted my bottle holding skills  – and voraciously downed his milk. A champion eater, he – in true Fammartino tradition.

As the youngest, Vera is the most helpless of all.  She relies on us to keep her tummy full, her bottom dry, and get adequate sleep – with a good dose of cuddling on the side.

Observing such sweet innocence made me realize that children, from the beginning, don’t have a clue about the words and feelings that can sometimes consume our thoughts as adults.

Worry…Doubt…Fear…to name a few.

These are not part of the emotional repertoire of infants and toddlers. So exactly when do these words become part of their vernacular?

I don’t have the exact answer, but I do think that when those thoughts arrive might depend largely on the child’s life experiences.

Aside from the joys we receive from the little ones of the world, there is much to be learned from what words are yet unknown to them – for aren’t we the ones who place worry, doubt, and like concepts in our minds?

And what can we do to diminish the power of such emotionally charged words?

God asks us to relinquish our concerns and be as children to Him, trusting that His orchestration of details will be masterful and beneficial, even through our trials.

I fervently pray that we all can lift up our eyes to Him, surrender to His leading, and let those interfering words

fade… into… oblivion.

 Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. ~Matthew 6:34 (The Message)