Minor Miracles
A few months ago, our family threw a birthday party for #4. He turned 11 and I was tired of doing “public” parties at the trampoline park and the roller rink, so I suggested a yard party at our own house. I figured the relaxed setting would give him more time with his friends and if it was an outside party, I wouldn't be too stressed about making the house pinterest-worthy.
Well, it was a lovely party (despite the neighbor choosing that exact moment to do some firing on his home “range”) and after everyone left, we cleaned up the leftovers and paper products and went inside. The next day I came outside to clean up the table and chairs.
I folded the table and looked at the ground. Now, it's important to know that a little friend of #4 had texted us the day before to show us a video of his pet rabbit who had had kits. His video panned the cage and the nest, covered with straw and soft rabbit fur that the mother rabbit pulls from her own breast. I glanced at the ground, and looked again. There was a spot of the same straw/fur combination at my feet. Are you kidding me?! I reached down and pulled up an edge.
Oh for joy!! Little baby bunnies in a small hole in the ground! Their eyes were open and their ears stood up and they were the softest things I've ever felt. We enjoyed some of them for a few minutes while the others scattered, then inserted them all back into their hole and covered them over.
My mind reeled. So they were all snug in their nest RIGHT UNDER THE TABLE yesterday when eight children and four adults were boisterously singing “happy birthday,” blowing out candles, opening presents, eating cake, pouring glass after glass of soda, and otherwise reveling in the moment.
And then I thought...
Isn't that like homeschooling?!
Isn't that like parenting?!
Isn't that like LIFE?!
Our treats and gifts and good works are displayed on the table for all to enjoy but the tiny miracles of life and new birth are happening UNDERNEATH the table. Out of sight. In the dark and the warmth of our little “holes” there is growth and development going on that none of us can see or even guess at, while life goes on around us.
Until we empty the table “altar” of our pitiful offerings and poor attempts to impress, and fold it up, and put it away, we won't see the gifts right in front of us. When the time is right, the new life will be revealed and what joy we will have then to know that we have been a part of something this amazing and unexpected!
Aaah, we'll say, noticing the small unassuming mound near our feet. I've seen this before. This is going to be good!
