Sounds of Childhood

I asked the Lord the other morning, during our breakfast prayer, to help us see the gifts He gives us throughout the day.  Gifts we wouldn't notice, or maybe not even consider as gifts.

The morning flurry followed, and soon Raleigh was playing the piano and Dawson was playing the violin and Timmy decided I needed to play Deep Blue Sea with him.

So we sat down and I began.  Timothy's voice interrupted me..."no, we can't play it until Dawsy stops his violin.  I want to be able to hear the fishies splash."

We played, and the fishies not only splashed but sang "fiddledeedee" and the butterfly and parrot flew away.

Tonight that same little boy came into my bedroom saying he couldn't sleep because the dinosaurs were being too loud.  His new comforter and sham have dinosaurs on them, and the sham he was trying to sleep on was apparently  full of non-tired dinosaurs.

These are my gifts, the sounds of childhood.  How easily I shut my ears to them, busy with tasks and thoughts and struggles.

But the sound of fishies splashing and dinosaurs playing are waiting, beckoning me to notice.