This morning, I took a picture of my daughter and was
smitten.
I love shopping for art
projects with her and together we found a Frozen
paint book with a watercolor kit attached.
As soon as she started painting, she was unsatisfied with the wirey
paint brush.
“Momma,” she asked, “Can
I use the paints you use when you paint mermaids.”
I’ve held onto my paint kit, not wanting little hands and
smudges to ruin it, but this morning I decided she was finally big enough to
have a turn. Together, we sat down at
the table and started painting.
I gave her one of my expensive paintbrushes and watched as
she dipped it in water. I knew she’d
pick pink, but no, it was blue. “Light blue,” she said as she started painting
Elsa’s dress.
My daughter painting beautifully and the cares of my world
faded away. Side by side, we painted
(but really I just watched her). Her
slender fingers, how she paused before selecting another color, how careful she
was to follow instruction of cleaning the brush with water. And she really made a masterpiece.
When she was finished, we went for a bike ride. She asked about the neighbor we waved to and
I told her how blessed we are to live near such kind people. There was an overgrown plant with orange
flowers we stopped to smell.
Some day’s it hits me harder then others. Today, the privilege to raise this little
girl is as real as the shining sun is in a bright blue sky.
E. T. Sullivan once wrote these interesting words: “When God
wants a great work done in the world or a great wrong righted, he goes about it
in a very unusual way. He doesn’t stir up his earthquakes or send forth his
thunderbolts. Instead, he has a helpless baby born, perhaps in a simple home
out of some obscure mother."
"And then God puts the idea into the mother’s heart,
and she puts it into the baby’s mind."
"And then God waits. The greatest forces
in the world are not the earthquakes and the thunderbolts. The greatest forces
in the world are babies.” (The Treasure Chest, p. 53.)
What potential do I have with this child? How can I influence her with my love? What gifts can I help her cultivate?
I will never forget a story told by a leader in my
church. There was a story told of a
group of woman from ancient Rome;
some with vanity, showing their jewels one to another. Among them was Cornelia. One of the women said to her, “And where are your
jewels?” To which Cornelia responded, pointing to her children, “These are my
jewels.”
Children as jewels?
The visual of that story left a lasting
impressions on me.
I also continue to be deeply moved by the struggles girls in this world face. Last year around Mother's Day, I watched the documentary
It's A Girl.
I wrote about it on my blog
here.
It’s a Girl; the
three deadliest words in the world documents baby girls in parts of China and
India killed through abortion, genocide and infanticide because baby boys are
more desirable. In some parts of China parents
can only have one child. It’s called the
One-child policy. It’s customary for
boys to take care of their parents as they age, while girls grow up, wed and
leave their families to live and care for their husband’s parents. And in some parts of India, its
customary when girls marry her parents will pay a hefty dowry. This dowry can sometimes be up to half of the
family’s entire worldly possessions.
Many families cannot afford the cost to raise a girl, only to then pay
and marry her off. She will earn no
money, she has little to no education and will never have the right to own
property. She may become a slave in an
arranged marriage; treated poorly by her new husband and mother-in-law. To
make matters worse, many baby girls are abandoned or sold into sex slavery.
Last Mother’s Day, I wanted to know what other
resources were available for these girls (at least the girls who survived). I think my desire started with my daughter Eden
first, knowing circumstances allowed her born in America to two parents who loved
and adored her. But, what if ? What if my daughter was in a country that
wanted her dead before she even took her first breath? I'm horrified that geography holds one girl
in esteem while another has absolutely no value. God willing, my daughter will have every opportunity life
has to offer in freedom, education, religion, sports, music and art. She will travel and see the world. She has already learned to pray, bowing her
sweet little head and folding her arms as she says thank you to God for her
puppy and baby doll. She loves books, pancakes and playing in the
sprinklers. What isn’t great about a
girl!
If you are a girl, you must watch this documentary. I had
to know what was happening to other girls because I am a girl; a girl born into a loving home where my family values me. The idea that being a girl
is somehow a reason to be thrown away doesn't make sense to me. I am a human being first, girl second and in
addition, I love being a girl.
It’s A Girl
completely changed my perspective on raising my daughter. I struggle, knowing
every little girl is just as special but isn't treated as such. This
is where my heart is when I share my love for Eden. It’s hoping love can make a difference
for every little girl in the world.
Please consider sharing this video and doing what you feel impressed to help this cause.
