May. 4, 2009 - 2yo siblings and how they teach character
I just wanted to share what happened this week and brag on my 13 year old. My 13 yos has a hobby that has become a passion of his. It is acquiring, cultivating, caring and researching carnivorous plants.
It all started with a cheap little Venus Flytrap from Wal Mart 2 yrs ago. Now he has dozens and dozens of plants: flytraps, sundews, pitcher plants and others. He truly has a green thumb and enjoys this aspect of botany. He uses his earned money to buy seeds and plants of varieties he doesn't have. He joined the International Carnivorous Plant Society and is a part of a Carnivorous Plant of the Month club as well, which was his favorite birthday present this year.
He had 2 of a certain type of pitcher plant that was due to flower any day. It only flowers one time every year and he had been eagerly awaiting it to do so. He gets up and checks his plants first thing every day before his Bible time. One morning, he headed straight out to the porch to check on this plants to see if the flowers were beginning to open yet, and he was shocked to see that both flowers were just CUT completely, cleanly off. Now, my faithful blog readers probably immediately think of what/who the culprit probably was, but Aslan, who really loves his little sisters, actually first thought a wild turkey might have eaten it on the porch while we were sleeping. When I suggested it "might possibly have been a little sister" he said, "I don't think she would do that." (I have no idea WHY he would esteem her behavior so highly.) Well, 30 min later, 2yo sweet savage woke up. Aslan sweetly says, "Praisey, did you cut off Aslan's flowers?" She says, "Yes!" He says, "Could you please show me where you put them?"
Praise, "OTAY!"
She runs to her little red Radio Flyer tricylcle, opens the "trunk" and hands him two perfectly formed but very cut off flowers. Aslan takes them and patiently says, "Praise, could you please not cut off anymore of Aslan's plants ever again?" "OTAY." She says and that was it!
His beloved flowers---murdered in broad daylight...his flowers he has eagerly waited to bloom for almost a year...and he patiently talks to his sister and even hugs her.
I'd like to say that I would have exhibited so much character, but that might have sealed up my decision for ebay for sure: REALLY sweet, cute 2 1/2 yr old girl, with blond curly hair and blue eyes....cuts off carnivorous plants, drinks Tylenol when you aren't looking, can leap tall buildings in a single bound.....for sale....no reserve.
We do love our Praise, so we forgive her, hug her and continue to train her......you know, I imagine that God feels a lot like I do sometimes. He continues to forgive me when I act like Praise, He continues to love me, and continues to train me. I'm so thankful that God hasn't sold me....cause I'm sure he would have a long time ago. I'm thankful that He has loved me enough to "buy me for a price" as the Bible says when he died on the cross for all the times I act like a 2 1/2 year old!
I must have told Aslan 6 times that day how proud I was of him cause I know how frustrating that must have felt. He said, "Ya know, Mom, I realized today that I love Praise more than I love all my plants, so that helped me to be patient with her." Wow...a lot of wisdom in those words from a 13 year old.
Shortly after this incident, the same day, we were completing the last day of Mystery of History Volume 1 for school, and it told us to each write out our testimonies of when we made the decision to trust Jesus to be our Savior and repent of our sins and ask Him to be Lord of our life.
We decided to have the whole family, 6 yrs on up, do it orally first. I started w/ my testimony, and we all shared the moment that we made the decision that changed us for eternity.
Aslan went last and when he was done said, "You know, I'm positive that if I had not given my life to the Lord, that I would not and could not have responded the way I did this morning with Praise...that is God showing Himself in my life." We couldn't have agreed more. As a family, we Praise the Lord for who He is, that even in our childishness and sin, He loved us enough to die for us, and loves us enough to keep loving us and making an impact in our characters!!!
Romans 5:8
"But God demonstrates His own love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
Comments
May. 4, 2009 - Untitled Comment
Posted by momtosixsweeties
Misti,
How wonderful to see such wonderful fruit in Aslan's life! Makes it all worth it!
Someday you'll be posting stories just like that about Praise, too :o)
May. 4, 2009 - Untitled Comment
Posted by MountainMommy
Wow!
May. 4, 2009 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Chris
How awesome to have your teen respond this way. Not many people let alone Teens would respond this way. I was even convicted by what Aslan's response was. WOW... praise God.
Chris
@joyfulmother.blogspot.com
May. 5, 2009 - Aslan
Posted by Anonymous
That whole scenario brought tears to my eyes, tears of joy for you and your child of the king. What a sweet, sweet, big brother to give grace...where grace surely was not due.....you have taught your's so well I am thankful that I am your friend!!! Tell Aslan 3 more dozen please if he has them :) Char
p.s. ( at least she preserved them, she could have fed them to a wild turkey, or chicken ;) wink wink)
May. 5, 2009 - Untitled Comment
Posted by thornbunch
Aslan showed God's love in a tremendous way. What a testimony he has.
:-)
May. 6, 2009 - WOW, WOW, WOW!
Posted by seasonsmom
I was so touched! How humbling! You have done a great job with your kids and there, you got a huge (not your first) bon bon for you, huh? Very proud of Aslan! Little stinker, otay, hope she keeps her hands off the flower next year cuz I really want to see the pic and the smile on A's face on this blog, ok? Maybe he can keep it in a cage with a sensor, like in a museum, you know for that last week, just to make sure?
May. 6, 2009 - Hug
Posted by Eunice
Give that boy a big hug from me. He just ministered to how many people?! Thanks for posting Misti.
May. 14, 2009 - Well Done Aslan!
Posted by MamaLim
I am so glad I stopped by your blog today and read this. He is so sweet. You must be so proud of him and you have certainly have done a great job mom!
PS : I am sure I won't be as gracious!
Serene in Singapore
