Sometimes Fun Parent’s Olympics
THE SOMETIMES FUN PARENT’S OLYMPICS
"WHEREFORE SEEING WE ALSO ARE COMPASSED ABOUT WITH SO GREAT A CLOUD OF WITNESSES, LET US LAY ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT, AND THE SIN WHICH DOTH SO EASILY BESET US, AND LET US RUN WITH PATIENCE THE RACE THAT IS SET BEFORE US," HEB. 12:1 BOXING--TO SEE IF THE PARENT OR CAREGIVER CAN PICK UP THE ZILLION ABC BLOCKS, LINCOLN LOGS, LEGOS AND TINKERTOYS SCATTERED ACROSS THE FLOOR, UNDER AND BEHIND THE FURNITURE AND PLACE THEM IN THE CORRECT BOXES BEFORE THE CHILD TAKES THEM OUT AGAIN. WRESTLING--BEDTIME. TO SEE IF YOUR CHILD CAN FALL ASLEEP BEFORE THE PARENT DOES! THE CHILD IS: CHANGED AGAIN (SEEMS LIKE THE EIGHTIETH DIAPER TODAY), TAKEN TO THE TOILET AGAIN (POTTY TRAINING ONE HUNDREDTH TIME), READ WORSHIP STORY, GOTTEN TWO DRINKS OF WATER, TAUGHT THE MEMORY VERSE, TURNING ON ALL THE MUSIC BOXES (DO THE STORES HAVE ANY LEFT?), ROCKED IN THEIR CHAIR AND SUNG SONGS. THE PARENT IS ALMOST ASLEEP AND THE CHILD IS WIDE AWAKE----STILL. SO WE READ THE STORY AGAIN, POTTY AGAIN (CHILD STATES THEY "FORGOT". THEY ONLY WENT 5 MINUTES AGO!), DRINK AGAIN, SAY MEMORY VERSE AGAIN. NOW THE PARENT IS SOUND ASLEEP UNTIL THE CHILD JUMPS ON THEIR STOMACH. TRIATHLON:
EVENT 1--CARRY TRICYCLE THREE BLOCKS, (CHILD INSISTED ON BRINGING IT, NOW REFUSES TO RIDE IT), THEN ACROSS AT LEAST THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC IN EACH DIRECTION--HOLDING ONE ARM (CHILD REFUSES TO HOLD HAND) OF 3 YEAR OLD, ANOTHER HOLDING THE TRIKE, AND THE OTHER PUSHING THE TODDLER IN A STROLLER. (IT’S A TRIATHLON-THE LORD WILL PROVIDE A WAY!) EVENT 2--RUNNING: THE FAMILY IS LATE FOR CHURCH WITH THE CHILDREN BUCKLED INTO THEIR CAR SEATS CRYING, THE HUSBAND REVVING THE ENGINE OF THE CAR IN THE DRIVE WAY AND THE MOTHER SPRINTING BACK TO THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE HOUSE FOUR SEPARATE TIMES FOR: 1) CHILD’S SECURITY BLANKET, 2) FOUR MORE DIAPERS, "JUST IN CASE", 3) THE LABELS FOR SABBATH SCHOOL AND 4) THE OFFERING LEFT OUT ON THE COUNTER SO IT WOULD NOT BE FORGOTTEN. THE MOTHER THAT ARRIVES TO CHURCH MOST COMPOSED WINS. EVENT 3--SWIMMING: POINTS FOR: 1) SQUEEZING INTO THE BATHING SUIT THAT WON’T CAUSE THE NEIGHBORS TO MOVE AWAY. (WEARING OLD MATERNITY SUIT DOESN’T COUNT) 2) BEING ABLE TO STAY DRY BY JUMPING BETWEEN SPLASHES, 3) CONTINUING TO BLOW UP THE INFLATABLE TOYS UNTIL YOU FAINT, 4) PROPERLY REMOVING A RESISTANT CHILD FROM THE POOL BECAUSE OF CHANGE IN SKIN COLOR (WHEN NORMAL SKIN TONE CHANGES TO SKY BLUE). "HI" JUMP--PRELIMINARY WARMUP: PARENTS ENGAGE IN SOME LOVING EXERCISES. EVENT: FROM OUT OF NOWHERE THE 3 YEAR OLD (WHO IS SUCKING A THUMB AND CARRYING A BLANKET AND AT LATE CHECK WAS SOUND ASLEEP) APPEARS AT THE SIDE OF YOUR BED AND SAYS "HI". POINTS FOR HEIGHT OF PARENT’S HORIZONTAL JUMP. THERE ARE NO POINTS FOR THE CREATIVE EXPLANATION GIVEN TO THE CHILD. BROAD JUMP--ABLE TO LEAP FROM THE GROUND FLOOR TO THE THIRD STEP OF THE STAIRS IN A SINGLE BOUND, WITH A CHILD IN ONE ARM OVER THE FOLLOWING OBSTACLES WAITING TO GO UP THE STAIRS: TWO BASKETS OF CLEAN LAUNDRY AND HANGERS, THE VACUUM CLEANER, CLEANED-OUT POTTY CHAIR, EMPTIED TRASH BASKETS, UNOPENED BILLS TO BE PAID AND ASSORTED TOYS. SOCCER (SOCK-HER)--THIS EVENT TRIES THE CAREGIVER’S PATIENCE BY SEEING HOW MANY TIMES: 1) THE OLDER CHILD CAN HIT THE YOUNGER CHILD WITHOUT BEING DETECTED, 2) THE YOUNGER CHILD CAN TAKE AWAY THE OLDER CHILD’S SECURITY BLANKET WITHOUT GETTING HIT AND 3) THE LOUD BLOOD CURDLING CRIES HAVE BROKEN THE PRECIOUS SILENCE OF THE LAST 15 SECONDS. BASKETBALL--GIVEN A LAUNDRY BASKET FULL OF SOCKS, ENTRANT MUST MATCH THE PAIRS (SAME SIZE, MAKE AND COLOR), ROLL THEM INTO BALLS AND TOSS THEM INTO THE PROPER DRAWERS. THIS EVENT MAY BE IMPOSSIBLE TO WIN BECAUSE 1) HUSBANDS HAVE NEVER BEEN KNOWN TO ATTEMPT THIS, 2) HUSBANDS THAT DO, CLAIM THEY ARE COLOR BLIND, AND 3) NOBODY CAN FIND THE MATE TO EVERY SOCK (I THINK THE WASH MACHINE EATS THEM!).* "THE SAVIOUR REGARDS WITH INFINITE TENDERNESS THE SOULS WHOM HE HAS PURCHASED WITH HIS BLOOD. THEY ARE THE CLAIM OF HIS LOVE. HE LOOKS UPON THEM WITH UNUTTERABLE LONGING. HIS HEART IS DRAWN OUT, NOT ONLY TO THE BEST TRAINED AND MOST ATTRACTIVE CHILDREN, BUT TO THOSE WHO BY INHERITANCE AND THROUGH NEGLECT HAVE OBJECTIONABLE TRAITS OF CHARACTER. MANY PARENTS DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE TRAITS IN THEIR CHILDREN. THEY HAVE NOT THE TENDERNESS AND WISDOM TO DEAL WITH THE ERRING ONES WHOM THEY HAVE MADE WHAT THEY ARE. BUT JESUS LOOKS UPON THESE CHILDREN WITH PITY. HE TRACES FROM CAUSE TO EFFECT. " MINISTRY OF HEALING-1905, P 44. (WHILE REVIEWING THIS ARTICLE WITH SEVERAL HOSPITAL STAFF MEMBERS, CANDICE CROUCH OUR DIETITIAN AT PARK RIDGE HOSPITAL SUGGESTED THIS BEAUTIFUL QUOTE.) THE CHRISTIAN WORKER MAY BE CHRIST’S AGENT IN DRAWING THESE FAULTY AND ERRING ONES TO THE SAVIOUR. BY WISDOM AND TACT HE MAY BIND THEM TO HIS HEART, HE MAY GIVE COURAGE AND HOPE, AND THROUGH THE GRACE OF CHRIST MAY SEE THEM TRANSFORMED IN CHARACTER, ... "... SUFFER LITTLE CHILDREN, AND FORBID THEM NOT, TO COME UNTO ME: FOR SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN." MATT 19:14 "BLESSED ARE THE MEEK, FOR THEY SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH." MATT 5:5 DEDICATED TO THE SELFLESS WORK OF ALL CAREGIVERS-FROM ROYCE AND JUDY BAILEY. * EXPANDED FROM "THE MOM’S OLYMPICS" BY JANE MACKAY, WOMEN’S DAY 8/11/92, P 146.
