“Isn’t it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back, everything is different.” ~ C. S. Lewis
This quote resonates with me. As a stay-at-homeschooling parent, the day-to-day activities seem monotonous, mundane, and even more dangerous, inconsequential. Although I know learning and growing takes time, I stubbornly hold onto the assumption that it should happen quickly.
The other day Ellis insisted on tagging along with us to her brother’s first eye appointment. While talking with the doctor, I asked Ellis to take our paperwork to the person at the front desk and to ask for our insurance card. It didn’t feel like it was a hard task, but she must’ve felt nervous interacting with an adult in a professional setting.
It’s a moment I dismissed at the time until she mentioned afterwards that she felt like a stronger person for helping us outside the home. This was her day by day instance, but maybe it could make a difference in how she can overcome shyness.
I could be making a stretch here. :} However, I’ve noticed that my kids and I view experiences differently. When I don’t think it’s a big deal, it is to them and vice versa.
I kind of went on and on; I hope it’s not out there and didn’t bore you to tears. We’ve been listening to C.S. Lewis on Audible and it’s making me reflective and wordy.
~ Esther
Categories: Raising kids Random Thoughts
singlikewildflowers
Welcome to my blog! My name is Esther and I'm so happy you are here. I'm an avid nature photographer and a daydreaming thinker. My posts revolve around photos of nature's beauty, homeschooling adventures with my 2 kids, sporadic reflections on my child's heart condition, Bible reading reflections, gardening feats, and other mish mash things. Hopefully you'll leave encouraged, pensive, or smiling at the simple things of life. Thank you for stopping by and hope you'll find some interesting posts to read!
sing like wildflowers 
The same situation to five different people will be understood and felt 5 different ways. Its all part of learning and each learner has to learn the positive(and negative) aspects of life on their own. But knowing there is a hand close by to grab…just in case…is what makes them braver and stronger and more gentle people than before. Good job, mom.
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Thank you for your kind comment! I try as much as I can to help these little people grow into good and godly people. It’s wearing on me though…that’s where I need God’s strength cause coffee alone can’t keep me going. lol
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They have a lot of new encounters and things to learn, places to go and you have to wonder how much RAM memory is left in their young brains? Think of their brains like a sponge and all they have to soak up … whew, it wears me out.
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It’s scary to know how much they retain. What’s even scarier is they mirror some of my actions and sound like me. It’s very humbling and shocking!
I hope you are having a good weekend and staying safe.
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That is interesting … as long as they are not disparaging you, but still. Kids are like sponges, soaking up everything that’s going on around them. My parents used to say to me as a young “never repeat anything you heard in the house outside Linda.” I said “okay” and my best friend, also named Linda, was smaller than me, but a bully. She took my bike and I had to ride her smaller one – wanted my dolls … she was a brat. And she started beating up on me. My parents said “you have to do the same to her, don’t just take it.” For good measure my father said “every time you beat up Linda Crosby, I’ll give you a dime.” I’m not talking about fisticuffs, or black eyes, just slapping, hitting, etc. So the next time she did it, I beat her up, knocked her down and went running across the lawn screaming “I beat up Linda Crosby Daddy – so can I have my dime now?” (Cringeworthy kid.)
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Lol…I never knew this side of you! Hilarious how you asked for your dime. I’m sure your dad wanted to hide or pretend like you said something else.
Bullies are so annoying and hurtful. They leave permanent heart scars. I have a nail scratch mark on my face still from a kid bully who would scratch me up and drop me to the ground. This was in Korea when I was 3 years old and she was 5. My grandma had a shop in the local market and her mom had a shop nearby. Don’t know why she hated me so much, but you cross her path, then get ready for a smack down.
My kids don’t disparage, but they question why I do this or that or point out contradictions. Eeeek. I tell them I’m not perfect and I’m learning too just like them. That explanation seems to appease ;). lol
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Oh yes – bullies are terrible and I think I mentioned being bulled when I moved here, even by the teacher, as well as classmates for being Canadian and “speaking Canadian” as the teacher said. And girls beat me up in the bathroom. The episode with Linda Crosby, my best friend who lived next door, happened maybe when we were five years old. I got a talking to and I got my father’s belt for repeating what he said. I’m glad they accept your explanation. Next time say “it’s hard adulting sometimes.” (I keep hearing that phrase all the time.)
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Linda, that’s traumatizing!! I’m sorry you had to go through that growing up. Growing pains are hard and it doesn’t need to be compounded with others acting out on you.
Oh yikes…harmless mistake to the latter episode. The confusion for a little mind.
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Kids are so cruel to one another sometimes Esther. I hated it after we moved here and this continued for two, almost three years.
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It’s terrible and makes me sick to my stomach!! Kids can be kind but in a peer pressure environment and being impressionable can turn them into vicious bullies. But why is it necessary to be this cruel?!
I can’t stand it really. Childhood and school memories are scarred by these experiences.
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Yes, you are right and now it is social media bullying. We had two teenagers in the area take their lives because of Facebook and they had bemoaned that they were not as popular as friends who had hundreds, if not thousands, of friends … they thought there must be something wrong with them and they took their own life because of it. Very scary that kids feel so pressured to fit in or in the alternative, in my case, they are perceived by others as not “fitting in” so they are bullied.
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There’s lots of stories similar to the ones you mentioned. Sad to see lives damaged or cut short because of its negative influence. I’m glad FB, Insta, etc were not part of my growing up culture. I wouldn’t have been very wise with it.
If someone is set on bullying another person, it doesn’t matter what the reason is. They’ll find something to make your life miserable. Bullies are jerks!
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Yes I agree – social media has made bullies out of people. I follow some nature sites and several weather guys on Twitter and it does not matter what the topic is, within seconds of being posted, people start to pick the story or Tweet apart. I am in a couple of neighborhood forums so I can keep up with crime and other goings-on and there are multiple administrators whose sole purpose (after allowing you to join) is to moderate comments and remove people from bullying one another. Disgusting and yes bullies, no matter their age, are jerks!
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Bullies are everywhere and social media provides that anonymous forum to be mean to others. It’s hard to understand how people use Twitter so much; what is there to say all the time? It’d stress me out to type and reply and their responses are so clever. No brain power for that. lol
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I know – people act up for no reason. I check weather from the different weather people and check some nature sights on Twitter. I pop on the site a few times daily and will glance at trending topics,most of which I hear on the news. I couldn’t be on social media like Twitter or Facebook and commenting all day long – way too many other things to do that don’t get done.
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Who’s got the time?! They’re conversations that never end and with strangers. No thanks. I have enough problems of my own to deal with. lol.
In some discussion threads I’ve read for the the royal family’s drama, I was surprised at the witty and clever reactions articulated. Some have hilarious and/or wicked humors.
Yea, Linda, don’t waste your time. You’re not missing out.
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Yes there is lots of royal bashing … on the heels of Prince Andrew’s issues (or maybe he is now just plain “Andrew” having had his title etc. removed), now Harry and Meghan want to return to England for the Queen’s jubilee celebration this year. I can’t keep up here – I have to skim Twitter and my nature sites but still fall behind here … back to five days behind again.
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Hi – this was not wordy at all!
and I wonder what it be like to listen to CS Lewis’s stuff – we used to have many of his books at one time and some of them were “dry” reads – but it might have been where I was at at that time, ya know?
Anyhow, I love this quote you gave us.
“Isn’t it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back, everything is different.” ~ so true
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CS Lewis has been a favorite author of mine but it’s not easy getting into his work. Sometimes I feel like it and other times, not too motivated. Have you read “Grief Observed”? It’s his personal grief journey after his wife died. Short read but powerful.
Audible is great. I thought it would be dry but the voice actors bring the story to life (so cliche, right?!) When I don’t have leisurely time to sit down and read, Audible works for me.
I love this quote too!
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Hi – yes. the grief observed one was one we had on our shelf and read it soooo long ago – but STILL use one of his best pieces of advice – that part about hw grief is not something you get over; instead, you adapt and move on – like a person who lost a limb and has to move through life without that leg and they have a new normal (something like that) – and I do feel bad that he only had his wife a short while – but at least he was able to experience such deep love even if it was late in life and then a short duration – 🙂
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I have about four audible books waiting and need to dive in.
I have Christian radio on a lot when I do work from home – sometimes the contemporary music and other times (a lot last year) – this classic station called BBN – and they have old hymns and then a handful of short radio teachings – so that audio feeding has worked so well for me – 🙂
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Christian radio is a big part of our daily listen. The lyrics, music, and artist’s lives are inspiring and point to God’s great love for us. Sometimes I miss the old hymns but I can get a quick does of it in Korean if I ask my mom. I like listening to sermons too. Which ones do you like?
The example you gave from Grief Observed is one of my favorites. How he told his emotions so well in his book. Yes, sad he only got to enjoy a small period of marital bliss before her death from cancer.
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Hi – the Korean hymns sounds awesome – and my fav radio shows – well
Chuck swindoll was my favorite in the early 1990s (and Larry Burkett and Charles Stanley) and that shaped a young lady and helped me ground in my faith
lately, like this year, I have enjoyed some chuck swindoll again – and then the various other sermons that come on.
sometimes I sit down and take a few notes in my journal – either a bible verse or key point will speak to me.
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what about you? any recent favs?
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I grew up listening to Korean hymns and it brings a sense of nostalgia, but for personal preference I prefer contemporary. Holding a worn out hymn book feels sacred.
I’ve heard of Chuck Swindoll but I haven’t personally heard any of his sermons. Thanks for sharing this information. I listen to Levi Lusko, Jud Wilhite, and Herbert Cooper. When I lived in SoCal, Calvary chapel sermons were my main listens.
I take notes too! I should review them but you know…life gets hectic.
Hope you have a great start to February and have some good and soul enriching listens!
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🙂
hope you also have a great start to Feb
peace and blessings my friend
Yvette
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