I was day dreaming last night before I went to bed. A flashback took me to when I was six or seven years old sitting at my Nana and Papa's kitchen table. My Nana had made a wonderful breakfast of eggs, bacon, and toast. And my Papa sat in the chair next to me reading the paper. As I scratched at my plate, my Papa eyed me over his paper and then went to his drawer and grabbed a small pocket sized devotional book. He flipped through the devotions and then marked a page and handed it to me to read. No one had ever done that to me before. I was the fourth child of what was at the time five, later to be seven. One on one time didn't happen often. My parents were at the time on a trip to Colorado with the older kids and had left me behind with my grandparents. I looked at this devotion and could hardly understand it. The words were long and there was some old English being used. Papa let me look at that page for about five minutes. I then stared blankly at him wishing I could understand this page without pictures. My papa then scooted over and lovingly read it with me. He then began to ask me all sorts of questions about what we had just read. I remember feeling like it was the first time someone had challenged me to focus and think for myself. Once we were done, he got up again and brought back a blank piece of paper. His major in college had been mathematics, so it doesn't shock me at all now to remember him scribbling down square roots for a seven year old and teaching me how to do it. I'll never forget going into the fourth grade and wowing everyone with my superior knowledge of math thanks to precious time spent with papa. I didn't go to my grandparents often. Just for holidays and special occasions. I can't help but remember what an impression this one on one time early in the morning before we started our day made on me. It's so easy to get lost in all there is to do and to forget how special those moments are when our children are wide awake and sponge material - ready to absorb anything and everything that comes their way.
Twenty years later, I am a parent. I am busy. But I can't shake the bar that was set for me that one morning at my grandparents' house. What does it look like when then is done regularly? What are the results of that for my children? My hope is that at the breakfast table I can purposefully put something under my girls to think about while they're eating their breakfast. Something to challenge them; to get them thinking and discussing new concepts. I love the idea of a short devotional because God's word is referred to in the bible as our "daily bread". We need it and we need it everyday. What better time than to feed my kids their daily bread than in the morning, so they will not hunger for it the rest of the day?
I also love that Papa taught me about something he knew well: math. To this day I am incredible at math. I thank him for my start and my 4th grade teacher Mr. Stone, a teacher who also challenged me. Papa's demonstration with math encourages me to this day to share with my children what I know and love about this world: gardening, sports, reading, math, crafts, baking, etc. Whatever skill or tricks you know, however useless you might think it is, share it with your child. When you light up, they will light up. And you may be surprised to see your passions passed down. Isn't it a wonder how impressionable young children are?
"The fondest memories are made when gathered around the table."
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