Let them eat dirt…

With the recent cutback to our income, we’ve had to get a little creative with meals…

 

Kidding!

 

 

Helena found a terracotta pot on our front porch this morning that was just right (Goldilocks style).

Like a moth to a flame she was drawn to it (and all the dirt inside).

She was so captivated by it that she sat still for several minutes trying to experience it in every way. Tasting the dirt (of course), dumping it out, filling the pot with dirt again – crumbling it between her tiny, chubby fingers.

I was struck with the thought that she was so content to just sit there, playing in dirt. Not a pretty artisan toy we picked out for her at the farmers market. Not a shiny plastic gadget with lights and sounds. Not an ipad.

Now I won’t be a naive young mother and assume she will always be like this. I am sure the day will come where she is no longer content to watch the ant crawl along the driveway as her sole form of entertainment. But I am relishing in the fact that she does now.

I want to be more like that. To be content without all the gadgets and shiny pretty things that I am constantly “pinning” and telling Micah, “We NEED this! WE NEED ALL THE THINGS!” This is hard because it is totally my hobby. To make things pretty; better. I am always trying to improve our home – constantly moving things around, re-arranging furniture. Micah calls it puttering.

I don’t think there is anything wrong with wanting to improve your quality of life. (Like finally find a home for that picture frame after moving it for the 7th time.) Or trying to make your home a beautiful oasis for your family. What bothers me is becoming consumed by always wanting more.

I’m hoping this new season in life will teach me contentment & spark creativity. What is it that they say – Necessity is the mother of invention?

p.s.

don’t worry, we feed Helena other things besides dirt.