It is a cold Tennessee morning. By 8:00am breakfast is over, a few chores have already been tackled and four of the five kids are outside in the backyard on their bikes. “The Twins” are learning to ride without training wheels. (Of course, they are not really twins but that is what they tell everyone…) My older daughter is teaching her little sister and I am assisting Little Man.
He climbs on the bike and I take up my post behind him with my hand on the seat. He is so excited. One foot is on the pedal, the other braced on the grass ready for take-off. I lean down and whisper conspiratorially in his ear.
“I’m The Man…”
He echoes me, “I’m The Man…”
“The Man can!”
“The Man can!” he giggles in reply.
Then I give him a shove while yelling, “Pedal! Pedal! Pedal!”
He does it! Wobbling, halting, recovering, he does it! Then, when bike and boy collapse in the grass oh, so very far away he jumps to his feet and into the air, pumping his fists high above him.
“I did it! I did it! I did it!”
And I am reminded of the power of the words we say over ourselves and our children. I am reminded to speak life, not death over all of us. It is not a new concept and contrary to what many people think it was not original to Norman Vincent Peale. The Creator of our minds said it first.
“Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.” Philipians 4:8 The Message
Amen.
Sherri,
Thank you! Just what I needed to be reminded of today.
Oh that each child could have such a cheerleeder at their side. Thank you!
Can you drop me an email at totaltransformation@yahoo.com ???
My wife has some questions she wants to ask about adoption. If you don’t mind I would just forward the email to her. Thanks in advance.