Chrystal’s Chronicles Repost (6/19/13): We were on a family trip to Houston when I captured these moments with my two oldest boys, then ages 4 and 2, with their great Aunt. I was struck with how simply and happy childhood can be because of children’s innate desire and ability to depend on the adults in their lives for the hard stuff. I was reminded that as a Child of the King, I can do the same.
I don’t wanna grow up
I’m a Toys R Us Kid
There are a million toys at Toys R Us
That I can play with
I don’t wanna grow up
Because if I did…
I wouldn’t be a Toys R Us Kid
Do remember this song from the Toys R Us commercials?
Well…I did grow up and I remember that I was dying to grow up at that. Adulthood is certainly not all it’s cracked up to be. As a kid, all you see are the freedoms and privileges that come with being a “grown-up”. Children are oblivious to the responsibilities that accompany the position and so are always in such a hurry to pass through to what they perceive as greener pastures. If only there was some way to make them find contentment and appreciate the pasture they are in!
I am sitting here looking at a stack of bills to go through and pay. Behind me is a kitchen sink that is full of dirty dishes and a floor that needs to be mopped. There are clothes that need to be folded and carpet that needs to be vaccuumed. There are lightbulbs that need to be replaced, running toilets that need to be fixed, and remotes that need to be found. The flower bed could use some weeding and front door could use some paint.
And these are only the concerns centered on the house…
There are books that need to be read, doctor’s appointments to be scheduled, digital photos that need to be printed, friends that need to be called, gifts that need to be bought, and pounds that need to be lost.
And we haven’t even starting talking about the additional pressures of family related stuff…
Time for date nights, time for family nights, time for family vacations, plans for the holidays, plans for the weekend, plans for Sunday afternoon, school work, school plays, school friends, money for college, money for clothes, money for braces, money for sports, money for camp…
The list could go on and on in these categories and in countless others, seemingly robbing us of the ability to enjoy THE PRESENT.
While it appears much easier to look at the time of childhood as a time to appreciate simple joys, is it possible that we miss out on the fact that such joys are available to adults too?…even in the midst of the requirement of responsiblity? Childhood is viewed as a time where the cares of the world are cast on caretakers who make sure that the more difficult matters of life are handled for them. Why is it that we stop believing as grown-ups that we no longer have the same privilege? The last time I checked, I have a Father who cares for me and wants me to “cast all my cares upon Him for He cares for me” (I Peter 5:7).
In all of my responsibility, there is so much joy if I would stop allowing myself to feel like the buck stops with me. Life does include bearing “yokes” of responsibility but the Word says that His “yoke is easy and (His) burden is light” (Matthew 11:30). The truth be told, a simple change in my perspective yields a ton of relief.
Instead of focusing on all of the things to DO around the house…
I can focus on the fact that I HAVE a house to enjoy…
Instead of focusing on the length of my To Do list…
I can focus on the fact that I have ANOTHER DAY to get things done…
Instead of focusing on HOW MUCH WORK family can be…
I can focus on the fact that my children will only be children for a brief moment and that one of my greatest treasures in life will be the TIME I have spent with them…
I’m always telling my kids that if they would focus on what they DO have, they wouldn’t be as disturbed about what they DON’T have. There is always a new toy to have or a new gadget to own and nine times out of ten, when I INDULGE my children and treat them like the Toys R Us Kids they want to be, those new toys end up broken, unused, and unappreciated.
It’s not about the toys….it’s about how much we APPRECIATE the toys…
You see, the real joy in being a Toys R Us Kid is in NOT HAVING TO PAY THE PRICE FOR ALL THAT STUFF! It’s the freedom to enjoy gifts without bearing the ultimate responsiblity.
The good news is that the same can apply to me – even now as an adult! While there are responsibilities that “grown-ups” must shoulder, there is still so much in life and in this “pasture” to enjoy. The key is to maintain an attitude of gratitude.
So…
I don’t mind growin’ up
I’m a Toys R Us Kid
There are a million joys at Toys R Us
That I can share in
I don’t mind growin’ up
Cuz even though I just did…
I still can be a Toys R Us Kid
Note: All of these pics are of my two oldest boys with my aunt, my children’s great-aunt Elizabeth, whom we all lovingly call “Antie”. She is a “kid” person herself who firmly believes that childhood is to be cherished and enjoyed. Much of what I have learned about the beauty and value of childhood, I have learned from her.
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