Put Some Kid Glasses On!
Jesus said, “Let the children come to me.” (Luke 18:16)
Jesus wanted the disciples to notice that the children saw things through a different lens–a lens without hindrances. He wanted to emphasize the importance of removing anything that impeded wholehearted obedience.
That reminds me that sometimes I need to have the perspective of a child.
I see us running late to an appointment. They see us enjoying the moment.
I see bad directions from the GPS. They see an opportunity to adventure.
I see an afternoon of ‘nothing to do’. They see time spent together as a family.
Jim F
January 28, 2011Love the pictures. I also love the point!
My mind is not giving me anything new to share with the question you ask but really appreciate this post.
Dustin
January 28, 2011thanks Jim!
bill (cycleguy)
January 28, 2011Great pics Dustin. Oh to be a child again sometimes. They have a carefree attitude that i sometimes miss. I like the middle one the best. I don’t want to miss the adventure.
Dustin
January 28, 2011you’re right Bill- I find its easy to ‘miss the adventure’… and my kids love to adventure!
Moe
January 28, 2011Great reminder Dustin. I live in New York City, and the thing that pains me the most is rushing with my kids. I was becoming a drill sergeant everyday, until I said… enough is enough.
Yes, there’s always traffic, yes, there are deadlines, but I began to look at my children and change.
Now, that I’m not rushing (most of the time anyway) I have learned to see God’s beauty in creation. Something I was missing because of my rush.
Dustin
January 28, 2011so true, i’ve let busyness and checklists get in the way of enjoying the moment before. i can imagine that being a difficult thing in the ‘big city’ sometimes.
God’s creation is a great example. you know, it’s all around us. it’s beautiful. sometimes its just as important to…stop…and enjoy what God’s set right before your eyes.
seekingpastor
January 28, 2011I often see a day as something to get through in order to get to another day. They see a day as full of opportunity, living in the moment.
Dustin
January 28, 2011i have those feelings all the time. “okay, only 2 more days until the weekend…”, “if I can just get through this afternoon…”
this could be the subject of another post, but i’ve noticed that many parents do that with their kids’ life-stages as well. “i can’t wait until they’re walking”, “it’ll be so much easier once they can communicate”, “oh the day when they can feed themselves!”… its so easy to fall into this and not cherish the moment, and enjoy the present.
Ben
January 29, 2011So, so true. I often struggle with looking for the next “thing” and don’t take time to cherish the moment.
Tom Raines
January 28, 2011Thanks for the wake up call!! Love the short take and reminder to enjoy the moments. Think I will try to put on some kid glasses today! Enjoy your weekend!
Dustin
January 28, 2011Sure thing, Tom. I think I will as well! :)
Jay Cookingham
January 28, 2011My kids have taught me some of the most important lessons about life. Since God has blessed me with seven…that’s a whole bunch of lessons! Thanks bro’ for the reminder!
Dustin
January 28, 2011Seven kids!? That. Is. Awesome!!
Some Wise Guy
January 28, 2011That is awesome!
Totally going to do this with my kids the next time we’re at the store.
The contrast between my perspective and how my kids see the world.
Dustin
January 28, 2011Yeah, it also works well with hats… especially now since fedoras, cowboy hats, and those short-billed hipster hats are all in style. Lots of variety! :)
Some Wise Guy
January 28, 2011That is awesome!
Totally going to do this with my kids the next time we’re at the store.
The contrast between my perspective and how my kids see the world never ceases to amaze me.
Dustin
February 2, 2011Yes, do it! (and take pictures)
Jason Vana
January 28, 2011“I see bad directions from the GPS. They see an opportunity to adventure.”
This just happened to me today on my way back from an interview. Gary – what I call my Garmin GPS (yea, I know, I’m weird) – sent me down a road that was littered with potholes, loose gravel and didn’t even have all the snow plowed off. I was grumbling, but it was kind of fun to zig zag.
Guess I need to stop seeing the detours in life as wrong directions…and start enjoying even the seemingly tough moments.
Dustin
January 28, 2011Joy in the tough moments… For me that can sometimes be difficult as I want to focus completely on what’s happening right now.
Thanks for sharing, Jason!
Alex Humphrey
January 28, 2011I am so glad you commented on my blog. Your blog is my new favorite.
Thank you for your insights into God, fatherhood, and children! Glory a Dios!
Dustin
January 28, 2011Alex, I’m thankful it’s not about me. :) I appreciate you stopping by again!
Larry Hehn
January 28, 2011I need to see detours as adventures and opportunities rather than inconveniences. And I need to see puddles as a chance to splash!
Dustin
January 28, 2011puts some of those “inconveniences” into perspective, eh? excellent, larry!
kristinherdy
January 28, 2011I took the girls to the park today, and noticed that Wendy was picking up sweetgum pods, which are spiky and can prick tiny hands. I told her she should put them down before she got hurt. She turned around to face me, and I saw that she was holding them by the long stems, forming a bouquet.
“See, Mommy; I hold them like this, and they don’t hurt. They are flowers for you!” I saw potential danger, she saw something beautiful and wanted to make a gift of it.
Dustin
January 28, 2011What a great example, Kristen. Thanks for sharing that!
Ben
January 29, 2011Many times Kim asks me “do you need Birtha on?” (Birtha is my navigation)
Sometimes I say, “nah, no rush let’s go on an adventure!” The kids love it. Maybe be because adventure means icecream…
Dustin
January 29, 2011…or Menchies frozen yogurt… or Krispy Kremes…
(okay, maybe that is just us :))
Donald Borsch Jr
January 29, 2011Dustin,
Great post! The photo at top right is my fave! (Not that the others aren’t cool, too!)
Hoping you are having as great of a Saturday as I am having right now. I’m knee deep in scrubbing the salt and dried mud from the hardwood floors. Oh, thank you, CT winter!
Blessings and power, brother.
Dustin
January 29, 2011thanks Donald! We’re visiting the inlaws right now at their new home (retirement community). Have a good weekend!
Alex Marestaing
January 29, 2011This week, as I walked onto my daughter’s playground before school I heard the roar of hundreds of kids cheering, sounded like a rock concert was going on. I wondered what was going on, and then I saw it, a bunch of geese in perfect v-formation flying about twenty feet above the playground. They were cheering for the birds. It was awesome. I think we should all cheer for things like that sometimes.
Dustin
January 29, 2011Alex, what a great example. They saw the normal, the obvious…and cheered! That’s great!
Bryan Thompson
January 30, 2011Dustin, I’m a newbie to the AbrahamChronicles, but followed you here from Scott Williams’ blog. You’ve got a pretty fantastic blog going yourself, man.
Gotta admit, this post was one I didn’t want to see today but SO needed to. It was one of those long days where my 3 small kids (5, 3, and 10 months) were just getting to me. I admit, I wasn’t as patient as I should’ve been. Thanks for the much-needed reminder to see the world as our kids see it. I really appreciate it!
Dustin
January 30, 2011Bryan, thank you for the kind words! I appreciate to stopping by.
It’s all about a community of learning, right? :)
Michael
January 31, 2011So good man. Love the pics.
Dustin
January 31, 2011thanks, michael – i’m thankful they actually enjoy pictures and stay still for a few seconds… :)
tmsky
June 25, 2017many thanks