This afternoon at lunch, we played this awesome game similar to capture the flag on the flags were long pieces of cloth that drug on the ground even while tucked into my pants. The idea is to step on the cloth of another person as she runs and pull out the cloth. This puts the person out, one person closer to victory. The kids are great at this, but in my efforts, I thought too much and ended up running away when I should have run with the crowd. If everyone runs the same way, then the strategy becomes outrunning the other people. But if I turn and run the opposite direction, the wise children just stop long enough to catch my cloth on my way by. DUH!
Oh my- I got out quickly and plunked down on the green grass under the warm BUT dry air of Colorado. What a glorious time!
I discovered a great way to discipline children, too. TICKLING! It would definitely be a punishment for me- but SHH! Keep it down. That information is secret and could be used against me if I’m not careful. Thankfully, I’m not the only one perpetually spazzying out when fingers run and poke around my sides. Most of the kids cry and squeal and fall straight to the fall in efforts to rid themselves of the torture. Of course, tickling is quite paralyzing…or so I’ve heard. And brings so much pleasure to the disciplinary. So when one girl continued to pull people’s cloth out even after she was out, to the tickle torture she went. Parents often say, “This hurts me more than you.” But really her giggles just enticed me more, though fully empathizing with her, I ceased after only a brief interval.
Play time also gave the children an opportunity to learn sportsmanship. Football (soccer for the American readers) attracts a great deal of attention and excitement especially when the uncles play, but as today's game consisted of only children, they played at a good but maybe a bit more rambunctious level. When I finally blew my pseudo whistle, they kept going until another goal was scored. Boy howdy, the shouting started. But in moments, all were calm and discussing what had happened, what was wrong about the situation and asking for forgiveness of one another for bad attitudes or boasting over nothing.
These are the simple things of family life. All in the span of a lunch hour filled with PBJs, chips, and running. It’s fun to grow together and laugh along the way. Why not learn the best way to live abundantly in God’s blessings?
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