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Mama's Song: Joy in the Morning Light
Apr. 27, 2007
Weeding the "Lovely Garden Row"
This week is going by very fast. I'm still waiting for computer parts. It sounds like my new used keyboard won't arrive until middle of next week.
I thought I might blog more old photos, but the yard has been calling me every day. Even though weeding isn't their idea of fun, I want the kids to be working out with me anyway. I want them to learn that weeding can be fun. And also, they don't have to be ruled by their feelings.
Feelings are normal. I have lots of them. As a woman I often think in pictures and feelings instead of words. But I have learned that my mind can be ruler over my feelings, so as to dictate my actions and reactions. And that if I allow God to do so, He is eager to renew my mind (feelings?) for me.
My kids have very strong feelings. What they feel, they really feel, and they aren't afraid to express it, since they are also very extroverted. But there are so many times when feelings can't see the whole picture, and the mind needs to look things over and help in the decision. Sometimes feelings just focus on the negative part of the picture and ignore the positive parts. Feelings can remember a past experience and jump to a conclusion that the next experience will be the same, even if it won't be.
My kids would like to be free to do what ever they want to do whenever they want to do it. This sounds like fun. But it isn't fun, when the messes pile up, others feelings are hurt because we are thinking only of ourself, or the weeds grow so high that you can't find the flowers anymore. Then the work of digging out from the results of lazyness is more difficult, then if they had done the work in the first place, putting things away as they go, and so on.
Sometimes work is simply that, work, hard work. But I am learning that in most things, there is usually something fun or enjoyable, if you can use your mind to get past your feelings, and look for that joy. And then if you can convince your mind to stay there, and not go back and start wallowing in negative feelings that may even be imagined, not based on the reality of the situation.
So, I've been trying all kinds of methods to get my kids to enjoy weeding with me. First of all, I'm not sending them out to do it alone. Even I can wilt when I have to do a large job alone. I'm out there setting the pace, providing the tools, and encouragement. Next, I keep reminding them that while we are out weeding together, they have my full attention. They can tell me stories, share their latest ideas, or be silly. My ears are there for them.
Today I was weeding in what I call the rose bed. It is a long strip by our parking area that has rose bushes, daffodils, and coral bells. I was trying to maintain some happy chatter, because they kids weren't really with me yet in spirit. There was murmuring and complaining to equal that of the children of Israel. Poor Moses had it bad, because he had many more then two children to get through a hot dry desert. Can you imagine all those complainers? Even the grown ups were complaining.
I was especially enjoying the coral bells. They are sending up pretty stalks of buds almost ready to bloom. As I pulled grass, and weeds away from them, I felt like I was setting them free. How happy they must feel. If they could ring their bells, surely they would ring them with joy. I started playing with words about the coral bells, out loud, of course, in hopes it would catch the attention of the kiddos. Sure enough it did. It wasn't long before we had composed a song about our coral bells ringing their bells that required the kids to echo what I was singing. It worked. The focus was taken away from their bad feelings and new, better, happier feelings took their place.
"We'll set the Coral Bells a ringing, ringing, ringing.
We'll set the Coral Bells a ringing
In our lovely garden row.
Ding dong. (Ding dong).
Ding dong. (Ding dong).
Ding dong. (Ding dong).
In our lovely garden row."
We made up a verse about the daffodils dancing in our lovely garden row. Then a verse about the roses perfuming our lovely garden row. But of course, we couldn't stay serious long, and my son made a verse about the sprinklers squirting in our lovely garden row. It is very simple music, but it was about what we were doing, and we were making the music ourselves.
Only about one third of what I wanted to get done was completed. One part of me is disappointed. I'd like to be able to look out the window and feast my eyes on my lovely garden row all weeded. But maybe there was some higher weeding that needs to get done. Weeding out the negative feelings and developing good character is a part of education that gets overlooked. And when else do I take the time to compose original poetry and music with the kids. We had a fun bonding time. And because we have more work to do, I have more days to enjoy with my kids in the spring sun, and more chances to work on character growth.
How does the weeding go with you and your kids? |
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Posted by
Karen 
Apr. 27, 2007 - weeding
But I hated it. The beans made my arms break out and the carrot tops too. But I loved the new baby beets and greens cooked with a little lemon juice. One of our first fresh veggies of the season.
We also grew rocks. Lotsa rocks