Thursday, September 13, 2012

Dreams of joy and perfection

My mom and I are going to start  little school time sessions for Eloise.  She is so incredibly curious these days that it's enjoyable to daydream of activities and school goals for her. 
Kaleidoscope is a local parent/teacher store that is jam-packed floor to ceiling with gadgets, books, art supplies, puzzles, toys, etc.  I've been imagining a careful, thoughtful trip to Kaleidoscope with a well-researched list of age appropriate items to acquire. 
Instead, I got there with 9 minutes before closing, having spent about 2 minutes brainstorming in the car en route.  Poster paints and some kid-sized insect dominoes were my acquisition.  Eloise won't know the difference between how I imagined and what transpired.  But I will. 

As a teacher and a parent I imagine I should be well-equipped to teach and raise her in a wise path.  But, dirty floors, traffic, and schedules minimize my success, my self-judged success. 

Thinking about this incident makes me realize two things.  God is my Daddy and he is far better equipped to teach and raise me than anyone else.  If I spend my time joyfully imagining Eloise learning and playing with a perfectly age-appropriate toy or learning gadget, how much more time does the Creator spend doing the same for me and you and all of his kids? What if there was a cosmic Kaleidoscope store just for God to peruse and select life circumstances and friendships and sunsets and outdoor adventures for us kids to encounter in well-timed Life School!  I believe it is really something like that.  He knows how to love us and teach us in exactly the right way because he knows our love languages and our learning styles.

There's a verse in the Bible that says, "I know the plans I have in mind for you, declares the Lord; they are plans for peace, not disaster, to give you a future filled with hope."  And the good thing is his plans don't ever get interrupted by traffic or procrastination.  

I think Eloise will enjoy her finger paints and her dominoes but I wonder what plans God has for her!  I'm looking forward to finding out and being a part of them.