Rearview Mirror

The other day I was talking to my adult daughter trying to encourage her in the daily ups and downs of having a darling 4 year old daughter who sometimes outwits the world around her. ha ha (including Mom/Dad/friends) Sometimes our little ones subdue our minds by tinkering with our hearts. :)

Laughingly I had to share with her about a time back when SHE was about 2 and a half years old and we went on a wonderful, funfilled vacation to Florida from Texas in our brand new blue station wagon. Wow! What fun. (now mind you we had been Cool Riders of the rockin-rollin late 50's and 60's...and STATION wagon....not....ha ha---but we were so proud of our little family and this 'movie type vacation deal was really sportin of the era').

However, just a few miles down the highway...not even out of Texas yet....hummmm...Daddy and I hear these 'grumbles, groans & fussin' coming from the back seats of our nice new car. Our very mature 10 year old son was in the middle seat....and 'the baby' was in the back section with tons of toys, pallet, luggage/snacks. Plenty of things to keep the darling 2 year old occupied to the MAX. So, all of the NOISE was coming from the mature big brother....which was a Big Surprise............because he Really was....always so good.

(I have to say here... that because there was 8 years between these two kiddoes....and I, as a young Mom had read every book and article I could find on 'how to blend/balance the parental discipline and love between two kiddoes whom God sent 8 years apart. However...by this time our beloved first born son had been given 8 full years of being spoiled by a total of 13 active grandparents....9 of whom thought he hung the moon and 4 of them over and beyond the moon...because it was their FIRST GRANDCHILD. Add to that ...as his parents we too added to the mix because, unlike most of our friends....we were headed for our 5th anniversary for marriage and were thrilled beyond words to spoil this darling little boy.--------(our daughter came after we were married 12 years).....so, yes, the Lord was ready to use this little vacation to teach us what REAL kids were like---we just didn't know it. ha ha)

As stated above....the exciting Florida vacation was in full swing and we were almost to the Louisana State line....then the noises came....grumbles, groans at first.

(No problem, it will pass after all...our son and his BABY sister have been so perfect for these first 2 years. He loved her dearly from birth....she idolized the ground he walked on. He loved being Big Brother and she was just the most picture perfect blonde headed giggle box baby girl that anyone could ever ask for---truly just a bundle of joy, laughter, bubbles, bangles...girl through and through!

Suddenly, however....from the back seat.... I hear a 'whack'...pop....followed by loud angry, "Stop it". & a babyish giggle,, giggle, giggle was the following. Then Silence. A few more miles down the highway....more grumbles, groans and gripes/whiney sounds....another 'Stop it-----".... very angry by now. Like most parents we realized that BABY was having a little fun and it was not necessarily with just her little toys. And again.... like most parents...we turned to our older son of ten said, "try to be a little more mature, son, she is just a baby...you're her Big Brother'. (yeah, right...like he cared at this stage)

State after State we traveled and he did try harder and things were very pleasant. We finally got to Florida and the beach. Wow, Awesome fun. We all collected seashells, buried in the sand, grabbed yummy snacks, got messy with tons of fun.... and big brother got a large, pretty palm leaf to take home to Texas--his treasure. Off we go for more wonderful Florida adventures.

As we are traveling along, lowly came the familiar sounds from the back seats....grumble, groan, slide, zap, another hiss, 'stop it!'.....although lower in tones....anger was still very much apparent.

It was about time for 'Baby' to take her nap...which normally was always solid, regular and dependably wonderful. So, out of curiosity....I pulled my sun visor down, adjusted my mirror where I could just WATCH 'the BABY' and try to see what the fuss was about. Precious little darling was so cute & she would no doubt be asleep in a moment.

EDUCATION 101.... Parenting class 813....came forth!

I had always been so proud of our son because he could always be depended on to be the best kid around.

I was equally proud of this precious little baby girl who like her brother had beautiful cotton white hair, both bounced off the walls with energy and life...obedient as well. At this precious stage...she was the delight of my life....UNTIL ....ha ha I pulled down that REARVIEW MIRROR. She was no longer that innocent little angelic BABY. ha ha (for sure)

She was full fledged KID....full of impish tricks, mischief, manipulations. I motioned to my husband, we both watched from the front mirrors.... and nearly busted--- This totally surprised us both...but it was so funny---neither kid knew they were being watched and WE WERE.....getting educated to the fullest extent. With disbelief....stifled giggles, we watched this darling little bobble head of blonde curls bounce around, dancing, singing, pulling and punching, picking at her brother then...giggling after each little event.

Very quietly, she would punch him through the crack in the seat, pull his ear, grab his baseball hat off his head---all with a ripple of giggles, then....hiding down on her pallet behind the middle seat. She then very slowly/slyly .... 'sneak a peak' at us ...above the seat....to see IF OUR HEADS were still facing the highway---never once noticing the mirrors flipped down & us watching her. just giggles and wheee sounds.

Our poor son---no wonder he moaned/groaned/whopped back in defense---he didn't have a chance with this miniture self forematted entertainment system maintained beautifully from the soft little pallet and back seat luggage. (I winked at Daddy then reached back and patted our sons leg and motioned to him...to note that we had been 'watching everything' from the Rearview mirrors (he laughed/thrilled) and I whispered to him "don't worry, she maybe a baby...but she knows what she's doing and we're gonna take care of her if she keeps it up but we are proud of you for being a good big brother, cause you really are." He seem very pleased to have somebody on his side finally.

The Straw that 'broke the camels back'....
Or maybe it was seashells? ...the next.... to last straw. I guess.
A few more miles ....and we hear big brother's voice, 'You put those back!'
I turned around ....only to see that she had taken her brothers prized collection of seashells out of the paper sack....was trying to LINE them up on the back of seat....like a choo choo train and seashells were flying everywhere.

When the car bounced....shells would fall....front, back...in the luggage...in the food sack, everywhere....while her brother was trying desparately to grab each one his keepsakes. So we made her pick up all the seashells (all that she could find that is) and put them back in the sack. (needless to say most of those seashells are still around our house or yard today ...ha ha)

The last....the final.....the life changing event for BABY.....

"The BABY' was STILL unknowingly being watched from the mirrors....as she finally got her brothers most TREASURED keepsake: the huge green Palm leaf of which she proceeded to waving and tickling him on the back of his neck with the spiney leaves.

Naturally, he told her to stop.....which also naturally....she did not do.

Two or three more tickles....then she sits up to get a better 'footing/hold' on the big palm leaf.....and begins very slowing pulling OFF each individual little palm leaf. (none of us saw the first one being pulled...but he saw the 2nd one pulled... and off to the races....it all goes... the yelling, full fledged brother and sister sibling war... He was rightfully so.... in his own defense....fighting for his keepsake that she was intentionally destroying in her own little world of bliss and wonder. (where was the innocent little BABY, here??? Sunrise, Sunset, what had happened to the little 'tossled headed baby girl who was full of giggles, gurgles, goodies---(and quietly God chuckled and whispered, ''she's just growing up...she's no longer a BABY''.)

Ever so quickly....the Rearview mirrors went up....the car came to a stop....Daddy gets out.....a little baby..... became a little girl....very well initiated.

A brother that was rightly justified. SHORT STORY ends! Peace came to the war front....a teary eyed little girl went to sleep on her pallet, once again giving the image of
'God's precious little Angel....the Baby now fast asleep......and thereafter.....a truly awesome Family Vacation evolved. All.... DID have a wonderful, wonderful vacation. And.... ALL came home wiser! Thanks to a rearview mirror.

There are 2 points to the above....

1. Don't ever underestimate the mind of a child'. God created some mighty great mysteries upon this earth...and the greatest of them all is the little child. (surely that's why Jesus said to bless the little children...ha ha, after all....He already has).

2. The merit of the above REARVIEW MIRROR story, is that it is still a worthy experience for all of us..... regardless of our age, our situation, trials, woes and tribulations in life. Take the time to pull down the Rearview mirror and look backwards every once in a while, to see what has happened....treasure memories..... (both good and bad)....try to see what we have learned from the ups and downs that life sends our way.

We have no future until we can review, appreciate, evaluate, investigate and see where we have been and what helped to get us ...to where we are.

Yes, it's wonderful to have hope...to dream...to look forward and to build for goals but sometimes God wants us to look back (pull down the rearview mirror) in order to treasure what all HE HAS ALREADY DONE for us....(Calvary, birth, Second-birth, miracles and blessings...gifts) and to learn to say...... "Thanks for carrying me through, Lord' and knowing (with Praise to Him) that.... we are better today....than we were yesterday. Amen Amen!

We are ALL...an extension of our ancestors....their pain, suffering & sacrifice....because they are a part of our success and joys that we have today. We need to pull down the Rearview Mirror and let it's reflection show us HOW and WHY we should be humble, as Jesus always taught----because they (our ancestors)...like us...are Nothing without Him....in every trial, trouble and journey through life. He was there. He IS there!

Numbers 6:16 "The Lord turn His face toward you and give you Peace".

I deeply treasure my awesome ancestors for their sacrifice, love, dedication and determination...but I also treasure the precious kiddoes that hold the keys to the world's future. But in all things, sometimes it is Fun and Necessary....to take time to just sit back and view the world...from the REARVIEW MIRROR.

ha ha Smile & let the Lord know ya love Him.