"Come to the carpet"

My oldest son is the type of kid that you have to tell 5 times to put his shoes on because we are leaving and still you load the car and look down at that child and NO SHOES!

He likes to do his own thing, in his own world, eager to do things he wants to do, but not necessarily what is commanded of him.

So, it really was no surprise what his only issue would be in Kindergarten.

I didn’t want to be the mom who pesters the teacher, constantly asking for updates on how my child is doing, and mostly I’m content with the knowledge that “no news is good news”. But at the beginning of the year, after two weeks and no updates either positive or negative, except what was passed on through my prodding my son for information, I couldn’t stand it any longer. So, on a Friday when I picked him up I casually asked his teacher, “How’s he doing?” She said fine, “He’s a sweet boy.” And then for the negative. . .

“He is a little slow about coming to the carpet for storytime; I have to ask him multiple times.”

So there you go, no problems writing his letters, playing with others, reading or math (he is actually testing grades ahead in all those areas), but slow to come to the carpet!

Like any parent would do when a teacher brings a problem to their attention, I talked to my son about it and he admitted that yes, he was usually the last one to come to the carpet. So we worked on it at home and since he’s into superheroes we talked about him being fast like “The Flash”. I made it into a silly game that he actually liked. I’d yell, “Okay everybody, time to come to the carpet and sit criss-cross applesauce!” and he'd come running and sit down on our rug with his legs crossed. We practiced several times, with me even adding in surprise drills and it worked! The next week he said he was FIRST on the rug and even got to pick out a special treasure as a reward!

Oh that all his school issues would be so easily tackled these next 12 years!!!!

I smile at this story, but my son’s failure to respond at lightning speed when I call him to get ready to go, really is frustrating for me. I have three kids and a very busy schedule and my efficiency to accomplish anything is hampered when one of my children will not just, “Come on!” It is just not the best use of my energy or time to have to call him and tell him things several times.

As this slow-to-the-carpet scenario unfolded last September, I was studying Jesus calling the disciples in Mark chapter 1 in a Bible study and I couldn’t help but reflect on Mark 1:17-18, “And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.’ And they immediately left the nets and followed Him.”

IMMEDIATELY, it says! Not "they had to think about it for a while, create an Excel spreadsheet with the pros and cons of the decision, poll all their friends for help. . ." No! They just went right away and left everything they knew - their lives, their jobs, their families!

How often does Jesus call me to leave so much less to “Come join Him on the carpet”, but there I am lingering back on the hard floor! He wants my immediate obedience. Why? Because it is more efficient that way. There is a task to accomplish, an eternal goal to save people with Jesus! There really is no time to waste, when Jesus tells me to “Come” I need to just grab my shoes and go!

I am grateful for His patience with me and pray I can show the same to my son.

Find more Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers, What I Learned this Week at Musings of a Housewife, Tackle It Tuesday at 5 Minutes for Mom, and Talk About Tuesday at The Lazy Organizer.