Shakin' Things Up

I'm pretty sure God has an incredible sense of humor. I really do. I think He sits up in heaven and finds ways to shake things up down here. And, I think that's why He gave me my son Cole.

Don't get me wrong. Cole is a wonderful boy and I love him dearly. Of all my kids? He's the one that has the warmest kindest heart. He's the one that loves to cuddle. He is the one that notices when I get a haircut, or a new pair of shoes, or whatever. And he loves Jesus with all his heart. Cole is really a delight in so many ways.

But my first two kids are Rule Followers. And Pleasers.... like their mother. I am the Queen of all Rule Followers.

My third one though - Cole? Yeah, not so much.

I remember one time when Cole was about three or so...My Dad was coming for a visit. I don't see my Dad much, so I wanted this visit to go perfectly. (Yeah, I know. Not possible. Especially with three little ones.) I prepared everything I could think of so things would go as smoothly as possible. I cleaned and cooked and got everything just so. My Dad wasn't used to being around little kids much, so I went over things with my kids - what manners they needed to practice, the way they could and couldn't act, blah blah blah.

So when my Dad came for his visit, things were going pretty well. Until it was time for all of us to get in the car and go into town. That's when Cole decided to sing a little song. Awwww, sounds lovely, doesn't it? A nice little song from a nice little sweet adorable 3-year-old boy.

Yeah. Except this song was about ... butt-cracks. You heard right. Butt-cracks.

"Butt-craaaaaaaaaaacks, oh butt-craaaaaaaacksssss.
You see them everywherrrrrre, butttttt-craaaaacksssssssss"

Oh, and this was not a short song. Oh no. This song had multiple stanzas. Like 403 stanzas or something. And remember, we live in a rural area. So the ride into town provided many creatures from which Cole pulled inspiration for his new song.

"Oh yeaaaah, butt-cracks on hoooooorrrrrses, butt-cracks on coooowsssss,
Even birdsssss and goatssss have buttttt-craaaaaaaaaaacks. Yesss theeeeeey doooooooo"

Mortifying.

Luckily my dad has a sense of humor, and thought the 45-minute Butt-Crack Song was hilarious.

But, my point is this: As much as I try to teach and guide my kids? They teach and guide me. Or rather, maybe I should say, God teaches and guides me through my kids. I sincerely believe that. I'm a person that likes things just so. I like things in order. My ducks need to be in a row.

God decided to shake things up. And gave me a child that, among many other things, sings about butt cracks at inappropriate times. (Not that I can think of an appropriate time to sing about butt-cracks. But anyway.)

It's not that I don't like things in order anymore. I do, believe me. But, I've learned to roll with things a little easier now. To not sweat the small stuff as much. To take things in stride. And most importantly - to laugh.

Cole reminds me of that every single day.

And then there was the time Cole mooned his entire Kindergarten class. Yeah. But that's a post for another day.