04 August 2009

Oooh! Life is like a box of CHOCOLATES . . .

Try as I might, I cannot think in prose. I can hear, over and over again, that God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, but I can't really begin to understand what on earth that might mean until it's set out for me in song.

Similarly, I can hear and thus repeat to myself that being a mother is an honorable calling, that children are blessings, that it pleases God when I humble myself to chisel black tar from the tender bums of His eternal creations. But in my feebleness, I am enabled in my vocation when I have a lovely, poetical image to paste over the wailing, grubby urchins in my direct line of sight.

Prior to reading this, I had nothing that I really liked. While not entirely unique, Harrison's image of her children as precious gems on a beautiful gown resonates with me. Check it out, and then feel free to share your favorite metaphors for parenting and children in the comments here.

I would have more to say on the topic, but this sparkly on my lap needs a new nappy.

4 comments:

lisa said...

http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/life-strategies/inspiration-motivation/makes-me-feel-beautiful-00000000017777/index.html

Did you get to read this one? Wow.

Reb. Mary said...

Yes. How strange, but how true (at least for me as well) that we can only begin to understand and to bear our utterly prosaic (to the world's eyes) existence through poetry and song. A hymn on my lips is worth a libraryfull of words by the vocation gurus.

Dawn said...

Reb. Mary: I like you. :)

Lisa: I also really liked that one. :) Real Simple can sometimes get things right, when its editors let people speak for themselves. ;D

JenniferH said...

Lovely post. How beautiful we must look to our children when we smile at them, too! If only I always measured myself against God's measurements of beauty rather than the latest drivel screaming at me from the checkout line.

Then again the whole chubby girl, great personality thing is so cliche.