Friday, April 22, 2011

The Ripple Effect (Part II)


"There's an eye watching you!" is a line out of a song we sung in worship service growing up. It reminds us that the Lord sees everything, even when we think we're alone. Now, I have 8 little eyes watching every move I make. Even when I am unaware of having their attention, those eyes are carefully observing. And if that's not enough, I have Josephine reminding me often with her big cheesy grin, "You know, mom, I hear everything. You need to remember I'm always listening." This can be a good thing, right? Shouldn't my daily behavior, speech, reactions, feelings all be appropriate for them to see and hear?

I don't feel like I'm on display all of the time, but if you take a look at my kids, you can see they've been watching....soaking it in....learning......and putting it altogether to becoming themselves. They can't help but take what they see and hear as normal and emulate it, making it their own.

It's almost scary, this awesome responsibility. It makes me take a look at the ripples I'm sending out, and humbly ask forgiveness for when I fall short, as often happens. It's also exciting, seeing what an influence I can have for good.

There's another song we sing, "Oh to Be Like Thee." What a perfect example we have in our Father, if only we surround ourselves with his example daily...hourly. If our eyes are watching Him and our ears are listening to the way He talks, reacts, behaves, and lives, we can't help but grow to be more like Him. Unlike me, He is the perfect example. He's not going to lead me down the wrong path, or teach me a bad habit. Oh to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer for there are Eyes Watching Me and each of my actions has a Ripple Effect on all my little ones, and their little ones, and beyond.

Eben leading singing again
just like his Daddy.