This morning I read the most beautiful description for children. There are lots of ways to describe offspring and I’ve heard so many different ones. Most you hear on a daily basis are comical, like the one time two different old men called my children a “herd” and a “flock” of cotton tops. But this morning I read “springing willow” and it just struck me differently than adolescents, arrows, descendants, heirs, offspring, whippersnapper, et al. Because the picture I saw in my mind was a young springing willow flowing in a gentle breeze by the shore of its parents stream…can you see it?
Whether your children are adopted, fostered, or step children I want you to get this picture in your mind:
Your children are the springing willow by your stream.
As the stream, you are the primary nutrients for your springing willow. As you nourish your willow the roots grow deep, the trunk grows strong, the leaves blossom, and they blow confidently in the wind. And as long as your stream stays full the willow stays malleable and can bend with the winds, no matter how fierce they may be.
But beware. Your stream can become polluted and can cause harm to your little willow. Sometimes it will be because of storms out of your streams control that will affect the growth of your precious springing willow. Rocks may fall in and damage the roots. Beavers may build a dam and block your flow to your willow. Rains may fall and fill you to overflowing, gushing out too quickly and drowning your willow. You will need help from your community to remove the rocks and the dams. You will need time to allow the flood waters to dry up.
Yet, besides outside pollutants affecting your springing willow, you will need to be extra prudent to guard what YOU allow into your stream. As the life source to your springing willow you need to guard what you allow in through your senses. All of our choices to fill up our stream to nourish ourselves need to be weighed against the value they will bring to your springing willow’s roots.
So precious mamas, how is your stream? What are you allowing into your stream? Regardless of the storms that have come or may come, we have to be careful to guard our stream and ensure that the nutrients we fill ourselves up with will also provide proper nourishment to our precious springing willows.
I’d love to know your favorite mama nourishments! @LivvyRoberts
