Rat Nest Kids

I was dropping off Hayden at school the other day, when I happened to see two kids with the craziest hair. This was serious bedhead. You know, the kind that looks like a bird might be living in there. It was a brother and sister, and they both had matching hair.

Now first of all, the school Hayden's program is at is in a very wealthy neighborhood - and these kids were no exception. So these aren't disadvantaged kids who don't own a comb. The mom drives a nice car and obviously lives close.

It hit me that this mom had just been talking last week about how she likes to stay busy and was even organizing a marathon. At the time I thought - wow.

I don't know what the deal was with the hair that day. Maybe they all woke up late. Or maybe it was bad hair day at school. Maybe mom decided that the kiddos were old enough to be responsible for their own hair and was trying to teach them a lesson. Who knows. I'm not judging this mom, all I saw was a snapshot. My kids have spent most of their lives with crazy hair - it's the Zavala trademark.

But that snapshot got me thinking about myself.

I hope I'm never so busy that my kids take a backseat to my life.

I hope I always have time for the small things in their life. I pray I'm there to listen to their stories, dreams, and heart aches. I don't want to dismiss their thoughts and needs. I don't want an attitude of annoyance or frustration when they are interfering with my plans.

I hope I always remember that they bless me, not the other way around.

Psalms 127:3

Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from Him.

Photo by meddygarnet