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Sunday, October 24, 2010

Pumpkins and Patience




Since October was almost over, I decided last Wednesday that it was time to take the kids to get some pumpkins. I had hoped this would be a family event with the traditional wagon ride out to the fields to choose a pumpkin, but that didn't work out. So instead, I packed the kids into the van and we drove to a place here in town where the yard is full of pumpkins. Blair fell asleep on the way, so she stayed in the van while Ian and Brynn ran around a chose pumpkins. And so my lesson in patience began:











I want this one.....no, this one....can I have this one?.....no, I DON'T want THAT one...










When we were FINALLY done choosing pumpkins (there were no tears, but several growled "that is the LAST one") we loaded them into the van and headed for home. I guess I needed more work on that lesson.
For the next two days, I practiced my next lesson in patience:
"Mom, can we carve our pumpkins now?"
"Mom, I wanna do my jack 'o lantern now!"

"PPPLLLEEEAAASSSEEEE???"

I guess I still need more work.



On Friday we finally had time to do the pumpkin carving thing. I gave Brynnie markers and her own table, and she joyfully colored away.

Ian watched with great excitement as I cut into the top off of his pumpkin. He looked inside, and then looked at me with a skeptical face. I handed him a spoon and told him to scoop out the inside until it was clean. Clearly, this was not what he had envisioned:


"I don't like to get slimy, you do it."

I did okay with this one. "No, I'm not gonna do your pumpkin, you do it!" He took a few tentative scoops.

"Will you help me with the seeds? I'm tired out."

I still maintained my cool. "Ian, you can do it. I'll help you when all the seeds are out." He worked for a while and actually made some progress. There were some more requests for help, and a few more rejections. He started getting whiny, and I started getting annoyed. Finally:

"Mommy, I don't want to do this anymore. I don't want it to be compost!"

I will admit to losing my cool. Comments like: "I did not buy you a pumpkin just so you......" and "You better do it or else....." were uttered in a tone that was louder then absolutely necessary and not very patient at all. The tears that didn't fall on Wednesday did fall on Friday.


I failed that test.

Thankfully I can retake it every day this week (month, year, decade).


And, if I hadn't blogged about it, I could show you this picture and you'd think we had a perfectly wonderful, patience filled time.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, you, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.


Galatians 5:22-23


























6 comments:

Dana said...

Urgh! Why didn't it publish the way it looked on the preview?

Mindy said...

That's why I call this site BlogGRRRRRRR. It is always frustrating.

You just learned the secret to parenting. It isn't about raising our kids, it's about raising us as Christian parents. When we see our need to grow greater than our kids, then we will have victory. It's about us, baby!

You're so right. When we don't tell the whole story, our pictures can make our lives seem so perfect. This is where gut-wrenching, God-honoring honesty is SO important to our friendships and fellowship, even through the internet. Thank you for your honesty!

Bassett said...

Great post, thanks Dana!
Woulda' been fun to join you...on Wednesday, that is. ;-)

~ Tandis ~ said...

Ian is funny, "I don't want it to be compost".

Why didn't you grow your own pumpkins in your huge yard? They are SUPER easy to grow but need some space.

I agree with Mindy:
#1. Blogspot never publishes how it is supposed to. EVER!
#2. Telling the true story is SO important and encouraging to others. Not that I enjoy hearing you had a rough day but I know to encourage and cheer you on whenever I see you doing so great a job. (Which is OFTEN!!!) Also, to pray for you daily. Our job is not easy but when we have faithful friends who know and understand us we know that they will also pray for us too.

Jessica said...

Funny again! Tandis will appreciate your lack of patience and your honesty.

~ Tandis ~ said...

Mother, we were reading that post at the same time.