Surely one reason the Lord gave this procrastinator a wonderful otter daughter is because I needed to learn to play. I needed to lighten up. She was His prescription for me. (Our Otter Daughter, September 6, 2015)
“A merry heart does good like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.” Proverbs 17:22.
A merry heart is healthy physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. A child, husband, friend, or colleague who has a merry heart brings sunshine into our days. I love those people!
Truly, I loved our daughter’s otterness even when she felt I didn’t. I just felt so RESPONSIBLE for getting things done I was afraid to pause and play. I had to learn.
At last, I began listening to our daughter’s encouragement to lighten up. It helped spending time with certain friends – a mother and daughter who both love to play and enjoy each other. Thank you, friends!
It was hugely helpful to recognize that I carried a wrong and unhealthy sense of responsibility. Yes, as a wife and mother I had – and have – certain duties. But I thought it was my responsibility to make everything in our family turn out right. That was a burden God did not put on me.
No wonder I didn’t have time to play or to tolerate children playing when I thought they should work. We had to get things done! Again, that burden was not from God.
A broken spirit dries the bones. There’s life in that marrow where blood cells are made. I think I broke some spirits in our family by mishandling the pressure I felt.
Recognizing a difference in goals and desires helps. With a goal I have control over the factors that make a thing happen. With a desire I do not have control over those factors. I could teach my children about the Lord, but their trusting Christ was between them and His Holy Spirit. I could feed my children healthy meals and teach them good hygiene; I cannot protect them from all disease. (See Goals and Desires, March 2, 2015)
Finally, I saw the burden I had wrongfully taken on myself by trying to make everything turn out right. I saw how I had affected our family. What a relief to let that burden go!
I became open to a merry heart. I could play and rest. Thank you, Otter Daughter! Thank you, Lord! I’m still more beaver than otter, but that’s how He made me. Even a beaver can have a merry heart!
What can you release in order to open yourself to a merry heart?
Wow! This brings back memories of when my children, now 31, 30 and 28, were little. Often the house was cluttered with toys, shoes, and books from one end to another. I would declare “Penny Pick Up!” and we all would rush around picking up and putting away as fast as we could. Each item would count for one penny and I could hear counting from all around the house. They were yelling encouragement to the youngest to keep him motivated. When the house was picked up in a matter of minutes, each would tell me how many pennies they earned. I would put that amount in a jar and when there was enough money in the jar for a trip to Dairy Queen.
Waiting is often hard for little ones…and adults, too. Wiggly impatience can become cranky whining so I would sing Mr. Rogers’ song, “Let’s Think of Something to Do While We’re Waiting”, and after the initial “Mommmmm!” we would make up a game, tell riddles…whatever struck our fancy. Usually by the time the waiting was over, we were smiling again. As they got older I would remind them to grab a book to read if we had to wait. This was before everyone had a cell phone and I think back to those “good old days” with some longing. Sometimes I will break out in the Mr. Rogers’ song even now when we are together, just to see the smiles and hear the “Mommmmmm!” again.