"It's Too Stinkin' Hot Out Here!"

I had a list of many things for my boys and I to accomplish this morning.  Third from the top was "weed the garden".  It was about 9am and 90 degrees outside.  My middle son filled up a cup with ice water and lumbered out with me, with rebel cries of "It's too stinkin' hot out here!", which were echoed by my little 3-year-old (who should not be using stinkin' as an adjective!).  So, after picking one weed (maybe), Walker goes to rest in the shade.  I cajole him into entering back into the garden.  He becomes entranced with big red ants on tomato plants, and weeds that look like cat claws, and something in the neighbor's yard that he's never seen in the 5 years we've lived here.  He became a scientist the moment I asked him to pick weeds!  Amazing!  He gained an instantaneous and insatiable thirst for knowledge of the world around him!  Really, parents everywhere need to know about this connection! 

After picking enough weeds to be able to distinguish the plants, we returned to the much-appreciated air conditioning and formerly detested art project.  Walker delared that "Big boys don't like work, they like works of art (like drawing)."  Well, no kidding!  This is the same boy who acts like I'm asking him to write with his own blood when I ask him to make a thank you note or birthday card. 

All this to say, that the next time I want my boys to do something I know they don't want to do, I'm going to ask them to weed the garden first!  It makes for great perspective!!  And, if today is any indication, they'll keep pretty quiet on the "I'm bored" front, too!  Double bonus! 

Bottom line:  If you have a garden, get your kids in it!  If you don't have one, plant one, and then get your kids in it!  Instead of transforming your children from caterpillars into butterflies, they'll turn into kids who appreciate air conditioning and ice water!

Dear God, Thank you for air conditioning and ice water.  Thank you for perspective.  Thank you for children who make me laugh and scream within seconds of one another.  Thank you for increasing my patience by giving me so many chances to practice it.  Thank you for letting us cooperate with you in growing our own food and participating in our own and other's salvation.  Thank you for the sun and the rain.  Thank you for seasons.  Please bless our efforts as we try to cooperate with you.  Thank you that it depends so much on you and not so much on us.  I love you and your sense of humor!  Amen.