Let's go fly a kite!

An alternate title to this post is: Perseverance


So I gave Corbin a kite in his Easter Basket. He had been showing some interest in them and I thought it would be a fun activity to go out and enjoy together in God's creation.


It was a particularly windy day last week.  We had a Santa Ana visiting us and the temperature was also very nice.  Now normally I am one of the wierd Californians that love the rain and is not so excited about it being hot.  However, that day I was excited for a difference in weather and that we could go outside and spend some good quality time together enjoying the kite.  I decided to take Corbin to a local park with a big hill and lots of grass to go try and fly our kite. Now my thinking is, we will be there for a little while, get the kite in the air, enjoy the snack we brought and the scenery and go.  Boy was I in for a hard lesson.....


Corbin, Cody and I get there and roll out onto the grass. I park Cody in the stroller and Corbin opens the kite:

I looked at the instructions and put the kite together - looping the string where it said to and putting the sticks in the hole to make the kite form just the right way. Then I gave it to Corbin with a little instruction on letting out the string once the kite so graciously takes flight and I told him to back up and run against the wind.  Remember the boy is 4. Like he's going to be coordinated enough to do all that at once. I don't have high standards or anything...  So he takes it and starts running, and running, and running and running, and waving the string around. I am telling him "run up the hill and then run down really fast..."

Still nothing.  My wonderful idea of fun is being drug along the grass and I am feeling sorry for myself and Corbin who was now out of breathe from running all over kingdom come. Here I am thinking it is his fault.  I mean I read and followed the instructions!

So I take a look to make sure that I put it all together correctly and I thought maybe I need to attach the string somewhere else. Tried that and still the kite was either on the grass or swirling in a circle a little bit above the grass and getting tangled in the stroller and Cody.  UGGH!  This was supposed to be easy!  So what do I do?  I set the perfect Christ-like example for my son -- I get frustrated.  My tone is changing, my movements are changing and I am ready to give-up.  He could clearly see I wasn't having fun and now he wasn't having fun.  And what does my four year old say to me?

"Mommy, you just need perseverance."

What?

Me? No? Not me!  No I didn't really say that.  I just sat there feeling like a heel and totally convicted of my terrible example and that my four year old had to point out the character flaw that I was showing.  I was blown away by his insight and what a big word he used and understood.

Corbin was right.  One of my weaknesses is giving up too quickly and getting frustrated quickly.  I was learning (or re-learning) a hard lesson (in front of my son.)

Proverbs 29:11

A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.

Now I didn't necessarily give full vent to my anger but did not stay in control of my actions very well.  So after the loving rebuke from the Lord (through my son) we took a break and enjoyed our snacks while I re-grouped and prayed.  I told myself that I was going to try again and show "Perserverance" and take the harder road through God's strength.  

Again I tried to look at the string and the instructions to make sure I hooked it up right.  I found out I DID NOT put it together correctly.  I fixed it.

Then...

 

Sure enough, it caught the wind and rose into the bright blue sky. Yay!

Up, Up and Away! It worked.

What a hard lesson.  All through my precious Corbin and the simple desire to fly a kite. 

Perseverance:

steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., esp. in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.  

Do you need to take the harder road and show perserverance? In your marriage, a tough friendship, a huge project at work. Maybe your discouraged with someone in your family or in your church? Whatever it is, I encourage you to take a step back, (have a snack), pray, and read your word.  God will encourage you to stick with it, not to give up. Or He may ask you if what you are persuing is for His glory.  He may re-direct you.  The rewards or far greater when we seek the Lord, persist and not get discouraged and proceed in the direction He wants us to go.

Although it was embarassing for me because Corbin had to witness my childlike behavior, it was a good teaching moment. For him to see that even Mommy has weaknesses and discouragement and need to take it to the Lord in prayer.  

Have a blessed day!