A Little Praise Goes a Long Way

Monday it was beautiful so we decided to go outside and finally make our paper mache powder horns.  I enjoyed working alongside my kids.  (I made Isaac his own powder horn...not that he particularly cares at this point, but I enjoy crafting and rarely find time lately to scrapbook....)  Anyway :)  ...  They were so funny as they laughed and cracked jokes together.  While the horns were drying, an impromptu game of football broke out.  Not the knock-you-down, tackle the breath out of you kind...just mainly kicking, throwing, and catching.  I have always LOVED playing that!!  For some reason, I totally can get into playing football...long as you don't hurt me...which has happened...being that I have two brothers and grew up in a neighborhood of boys....But I am chasing rabbits again....  For the first time in such a long time, I actually felt...FREE!!  I wasn't worried about all those things on my to-do list and I didn't feel all my projects "calling" me.  I just felt in the moment.  It was divine.  Jacob was beginning to really get the hang of kicking, and Malachi?  Well, Malachi (my 10 year old) effectively tripped me and knocked me on my backside.  He was most impressed with his skill.  :)  I commented that he was getting much stronger and he was going to have to take it easy on the girls.  He literally beamed...it was beautiful.  It has been made plain to me over and again what words of praise can do for our children.  It propels them forward like nothing else.  Praise makes them reach upward to the height of our expectations.  After I commented on his strength, I noticed he started picking up Sarah and swinging her around...making her giggle.  At one point, he caught the ball and since Sarah had not been able to catch the last several, Malachi reached over and handed her the ball...without her asking.  I commented that not only was he getting stronger but also more kind and that made for a dynamic duo!  Again, he beamed and was extra careful to be gentle with Sarah when racing her to catch the ball.  It turned out to be a wonderful afternoon...one in which I was able to observe, commend, and thank God for my blessings....