happybuela

Things I Wish For Ella - Part 1

I've been playing with this post for a good while now, and see that I will never stop thinking of things that I wish for Ella. Therefore, I've decided to make this a continuing series throughout my blog. These are some of my own memories of experiences with nature - mostly as a child -  that I hope Ella will also have the chance to enjoy. I'll only post a few things in each post, and I've pretty much excluded garden/plant/flower experiences, as they will have a post all their own. And so, without further adieu...
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Things I Wish For Ella - Part 1

A yard full of Autumn leaves that swish underfoot as she walks through them. Great big giant piles of those leaves to run, and squeal, and jump into.  Raking the leaves to form whatever she wants- an outline of a house to play in, pathways or streets to walk or ride through.....

Sweet breezes that caress her face...

Safe woods to walk through...

At least one great climbing tree. The experience of "floating" in the tree when her back is against one branch, and each of her legs & arms are resting on their own branches, and a breeze moves each of the branches in slightly different directions...

I hope Ella can find a spot where there are no traffic noises, no engines running, no shouting or talking, and no music playing other than the wind through the tree canopies... and I hope she will savor the sound.....

Beauty

Katie's  post on happykiddo has prompted me to finally complete this post and publish it. I completely agree with Katie, "hoochie-mamma" (my words) clothing for little girls is simply unacceptable. And now, for my post:

Ella lay sleeping so sweetly in my arms, I couldn't help but ooh and ahh over her, and whisper to her that she's the most beautiful child on Earth.

It struck me that I've gone on and on about her appearance. While it's true (not just a proud grandma talking) that she's an exceptionally stunning creature, I realized that I don't do her any service to constantly compliment her appearance. Appearance is fleeting, and even the most "beautiful" people will eventually wrinkle and sag with age - or end up looking totally ghastly due to overdone plastic surgery. I want Ella to know that our love isn't about her looks.

Even our accolades about her obviously superior intelligence aren't doing her any favors, because our love has nothing to do with her IQ, or her future accomplishments. Our love is about her- no matter her height, weight, hair color, skin color, how early she talks and walks, what she decides her favorite color is or her favorite food, or any of the rest of it. She is a precious gift straight from God, and we mustn't lose sight of that.

Instead, I've been praying for the attributes that God would like to see in her, those qualities He longs to see in us all. This is certainly not an exhaustive list, but some of the first things that come to mind as I pray for Ella:

Father God, I pray that our precious Ella would be kind and generous. Help her to see people and their situations from Your point of view. May she have the gift of forgiveness, and the ability to let go of anger. Grant her understanding and wisdom. May she not only recognize, but give thanks for Your many  blessings. May she be willing to stand courageous for what is right, yet speak the Truth in love. I pray that she will be filled with faith, hope, and unconditional love. Thank you for loving Ella, even more than we do (one of Your greatest mysteries.)      Amen