Staying Alive Ah Ha Ha Ha Staying Alive!

Day 198 of Photo Inspirations — Staying Alive ah ha ha ha Staying Alive!
Remember that Bee Gees Disco song from the 70s?  It’s funny that song came to me when I sat down at my computer to type my post for today.  I can’t think of a better way to say “I’m stayin’ alive while I’m alive!”   I’m saying that because I’m embracing this season of my life so much.  I’ve always loved children.  I started baby sitting for 50 cents an hour when I was 12 years old.  My husband and I deliberately started our family when I was 18 and he was 19.  We added 80+ kids to our world when we started a day care center a few years later.  We thoroughly enjoyed our own children and grandchildren, and in this sweet season of my life, God has ordered up lots more of those little darlings into my world.  I am constantly reminded how much He wants us to be like little children in our joy and faith.

I fell in love with my friend’s new grandson a couple of weeks ago.  I held and cuddled him and it helped satisfy my longing arms for holding a baby again. There is nothing so therapeutic.  My little great niece is two now and I love to go see her weekly. How quickly they transform into little people in such a short period of time. Hanging around her makes me silly.  I do all  kinds of wild shenanigans with her.  At almost 93 now, I’ve seen how my mother-in-law has gotten so much “younger” in heart and spirit as she enjoys this precious little great granddaughter.

Another set of kids in my world are my godson and his siblings.  Last Saturday we played pickleball, hide n’ go seek, putt putt golfing, swam and other silly fun things.

I love going to Texas to hang with my grandson and granddaughter there — they’ve recently been in musical theater performances as well as speech and debate competitions.

And, now, for the next two weeks I’m hanging with my Washington family — lots of boys in the house — and, oh my, how I love the high spirited and high energy of boys.  I loved catching up on the hugs with them last night — telling the “Super Brennan, Super Bryson” stories.

There is nothing that can compare to spending time with children.  We see such innocent, care-free, joy-filled, energy and excitement in them.  They exude hope and expectancy:  first words out of my youngest grandson when I arrived….”Nana, did you bring us something?”  Of course I did.  I love that.  His expectors were up.  Living in faith isn’t a big deal for them.

If life has become monotonous, dull, boring, and you’ve just quit living out loud, then consider hanging out with children.  Capture some of that light-heartedness that they possess and they have more than enough to share with us.  It’s not foolish and immature to spend time with them.  In fact, it’s probably one of the most close-to-the-heart-of-God thing we can do.  I promise you, you’ll learn something from their life of freedom and care-less attitude.  “And calling to Him a child, He put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”  Matthew 18:2-4.  Yes, I’m staying alive and enjoying every minute of the LIVING!