What All The Kids Are Doing These Days
Lifa is a 10-year old legend. He wears capes and has the potential to become the most resilient leader-man this country’s ever known.
He is now 8 weeks into grade 5. GRADE FIVE!!! This is the first year Lifa will start and end the year attending the same school. His first day of grade 5 was his first legally recognized first day of school – and the first time he’s showed up knowing where to go, what to expect, and had smiling, familiar faces to greet him.
Those are most people’s normal. They are our everyday miracles
Every single morning during our 4-minute commute to school (another miracle in Cape Town!), we play The Thankful Game. And every single morning, Lifa is thankful for his “amazing school”. He hops out of the car with a spark that took 10 years to find, flashes me an toothless grin, and screams, “BYE MOM!!!!”
First Day of Grade 5
We’ve prayed for years for the right school, the right friends, and to be able to legally, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually provide for him. We’ve prayed fervently for friends.
This is our year, everybody! It’s the year of the play date!
Recently after a weekend loaded with play dates, Lifa made the exclamation of a lifetime. His entire face was consumed with joy while he tried to maintain his (completely lost) cool. He told me, “MOMMMMM. THIS IS WHAT ALL THE KIDS ARE DOING THESE DAYS!”
He was talking about play dates. The Mom-monitored kind of play dates, where 10-year olds are forced to use their imaginations, be creative, go outside, and are then provided an ample supply of smoothies and ham and cheese sandwiches. The kind of afternoons filled with Legos and Toby Mac songs, drawing comic books and hanging out with parents.
He just couldn’t believe his life was this good. He went on and on about how he never though he would have friends, play dates, and all the things he prayed for. Again, most people’s normal. Our everyday miracle.
Just between you and me, I happen to know that this is not what all the kids are doing these days. I pray often about what kids are actually doing these days as we watch society change around us. Chris and I continuously weigh out the tension between protection and healthy exposure, asking God how to steward this very precious gift we’ve been given.
Our 10-year old legend was made to be heroic in the midst of a broken world. He doesn’t need us to show him the broken parts. He’s seen more of it than many of us ever will, and life will grant him plenty of opportunities to see more.
He needs us to build something for him to stand on when the world starts to shake beneath him.
Lifa’s heart longs to find his place, value, and belonging. He’s longing for somewhere to land after a bumpy ride. Aren’t we all?
For a limited time, Lifa understands the world through our words, prayers, actions and interactions. His expectations, desires and reality are formed at his bedside nightly as we pray for friendship, school, courage, and character. His tastes are formed during the music marathons we play in the kitchen and in the conversation and meals we have at dinner.
We celebrate every single answered prayer – every single school day, every single play date, every single victory. And a hero’s hope is built on the Maker of the heavens and earth.
His expectation of “what all the kids are doing these days” is a fulfillment of who Lifa wants to be: embedded in family, friends, belonging, safety and security.
We choose for our son’s understanding of the world to be written by his parent’s prayers.
He will have a lifetime of hearing the words of others, but we get to build the foundation they will fall on: Miracles. Victories. Legos. Smoothies. Faithfulness. Family. Play Dates. Celebrations. Hugs. Life-giving Words.
Let’s allow our prayers to shape our expectations of the world. So when the heavens open, the seas part, and your everyday miracle comes true, you can have that same Lifa-zeal and proclaim, “GOOD THINGS ARE HAPPENING THESE DAYS.”
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:6
Just another day at the office - Laptop made out of an animal book, ninja stick, nerd gun, camo hat, water bottle, cape, sunglasses, and face mask. READY.