Word #5 - Grow

When I think of the word "grow", I can'r help but conjure actual faces of some children who have my heart.  I moved farther away right as they were "wee" ones, so now when I see them, one of my first comments is, "oh - how you've grown!"  (See exhibit A, B, & C)  Growth in wee ones happens so quickly!  The changes sometimes even seem to sneak up on you!

Exhibit A:

J-Bird as a newbie.

J-Bird as an infant.

J-Bird as a TODDLER!!!

Exhibit B:

Meeting Miss E for the 1st time, couple hours old!

Miss E as a N

Infant Miss E.

Toddler Miss E (obviously upset for a minute).

Exhibit C:

Newbie Jack.

You might remember a story about a boy who never wants to grow up.  He lives in Never Never Land.  But, this boy Peter, with the help of his friend Wendy, has a change of heart. As I get older, I get nervous about growing.  Growing more lines around my eyes and mouth, growing gray hairs, or even growing into bigger pant sizes!  Sometimes I wouldn't mind a Never Never Land where I could be ignorant to the growth.

But growing, in all aspects, is part of God's creation.  Everything on this earth grows.  Everything on this earth, changes.  Even majestic mountains shift and groan in the earth.  

Some things grow fast, some things grow slow. 

Growing can be seen as good: a child coming of age or development of talents.  

Growing can be seen as bad: the growing of a cancerous tumor or growing of weeds in a award winning garden.  

I've been steeped in the book of Genesis this week in preparation for a sermon and find myself thinking of Abram.  (His name even grows - he becomes Abraham!) Abram is concerned not only with his personal growth but the growth of his name, his legacy, his family.  He sees "growing" literally as having heirs. As someone who has no heirs at this time in my own life, I pause and reflect on the ways I hope to grow in my life. Growing in wisdom wouldn't be a bad idea, nor would some growth in my bank account.  But, I wouldn't trade "growth" of better friends or a loving community for anything in the world.  

I do live with a motto that kind of sums up how I feel about the word "grow". I believe that every day there is something I can learn, something that I can grow from. Whether it is a new word or a life lesson or a personal revelation, I hope to continue growing.  Even if it is in those lines around my eyes and mouth, after all, aren't they called "laugh lines"?

So, keep growing. And I will continue to be that Aunt who always says to my nephews and nieces, "my - how you've grown!"  And I will continue to embrace how part of God's beloved creation is growth.