My dad worked on projects in the garage. So, I would just kind of sneak in through the door and watch him. Then I would inch closer and watch him. Then I would grab a screw driver and watch him. Then eventually my dad would let me help. By the time the job was finished, I felt equal ownership in the final result. My Dad and I were a team!
My mom worked on projects in her office or in the kitchen. Same technique. Watch, listen, inch inch inch, watch, get to help! Once I was helping, she would put her hands on mine to guide how much paint I put on the brush or how much pepper I put in the soup. She would show me the recipe or explain how she wanted the paint job to look. I got better and better at figuring out what she had in mind.
My brother worked on projects in the backyard. He thought BIG. Usually I had small ideas."Let's gather sticks and pretend we are building a fire!" My brother would load up his backpack and some bologna sandwiches and we would go camping! The two of us would try and fail to make a fire by rubbing sticks together. (Imagine my brother furiously rubbing the sticks together, his nine-year old frame struggling with the endurance factor, "I read about it in a book! It works, I swear!") We would hunt crawdads, put our makeshift fishing lines in the creek, build a shelter out of pine branches, and wish we were real outdoors men. Usually this would last until it was time for dinner, but it felt real! Why pretend when you can do the real thing?
I like to think of living the gospel of Jesus Christ as 'shadowing' Heavenly Father (God) and His Son, Jesus. The process is gradual. We start out just being curious and peeking in to watch them work. Then we inch closer and pick up a tool. Once we have volunteered, they are willing to take our hands in theirs and guide our work. It doesn't always look as good as their work, but they're happy we are helping! They show us the recipe or their vision of what the finished product will look like. Usually, their ideas are much bigger than ours. We have to leave the comfort of our backyard and go adventuring! But, it makes life real. It gives you stories to tell and skills to share. You grow to become, think, and do what they do.
Champion Good! Shadow God for a day!
My mom worked on projects in her office or in the kitchen. Same technique. Watch, listen, inch inch inch, watch, get to help! Once I was helping, she would put her hands on mine to guide how much paint I put on the brush or how much pepper I put in the soup. She would show me the recipe or explain how she wanted the paint job to look. I got better and better at figuring out what she had in mind.
My brother worked on projects in the backyard. He thought BIG. Usually I had small ideas."Let's gather sticks and pretend we are building a fire!" My brother would load up his backpack and some bologna sandwiches and we would go camping! The two of us would try and fail to make a fire by rubbing sticks together. (Imagine my brother furiously rubbing the sticks together, his nine-year old frame struggling with the endurance factor, "I read about it in a book! It works, I swear!") We would hunt crawdads, put our makeshift fishing lines in the creek, build a shelter out of pine branches, and wish we were real outdoors men. Usually this would last until it was time for dinner, but it felt real! Why pretend when you can do the real thing?
I like to think of living the gospel of Jesus Christ as 'shadowing' Heavenly Father (God) and His Son, Jesus. The process is gradual. We start out just being curious and peeking in to watch them work. Then we inch closer and pick up a tool. Once we have volunteered, they are willing to take our hands in theirs and guide our work. It doesn't always look as good as their work, but they're happy we are helping! They show us the recipe or their vision of what the finished product will look like. Usually, their ideas are much bigger than ours. We have to leave the comfort of our backyard and go adventuring! But, it makes life real. It gives you stories to tell and skills to share. You grow to become, think, and do what they do.
Champion Good! Shadow God for a day!
I loved this and it reminded me of when I shadow my mom. Now I think my mom shadows me from heaven as my guardian.
ReplyDeleteCiao,
Irene
Thank you for your kind comment Irene! I'm sure your mom does shadow you from heaven. Family is forever, death does not part us from them! Thank you again.
ReplyDeleteSister Biggs