Lately, four year old Charlotte has been putting the word, good, in front of words.
"I want that yummy good egg to eat, Mommy."
"Can you give me that good toy over there?"
"Hershey is a good puppy."
"I had a good sleep!"
"Dusty is eating the good doggie food."
"Look at this! I painted using the yellow, the good green, and fuschia! Do you like it?"
As we listen to her commentary of her day or hear her explanations of what the toys are doing in mid-play, her speech is sprinkled with the word, good, in sometimes appropriate places but more often seemingly random places. The most prominent example of this occurred a few weeks ago when driving her to her morning summer program at the local activity center. "Mommy, I have a good heart!" she proudly exclaimed from the back seat. My mother, who was in the front passenger seat next to me, and I glanced at each other in surprise and said, "Why, yes, yes, you do!" Charlotte then went on to say, "If it's a good heart, is it sparkly? Mommy, do I have a good sparkly heart?" I have no idea what prompted that line of thought in her but it was so sweet and heartwarming! Mom and I assured Charlotte her heart was so good, beautiful, and sparkly as she happily hopped into the activity center. I've been thinking on the idea of something tucked away out of sight, like our hearts, in the darkest interior parts of our bodies...yet radiating light and sparkling goodness as Charlotte imagined and spoke of from the back seat. You know how a prism is made up of hard edges, jagged even, and yet the light gets in there and you see a tiny rainbow if the light hits it right? The light bends and refracts as it sneaks into broken pieces and sharp turns. The white light coming into the prism, is in a sense, breaking up into the colors that make up the white light and burst forward shining the light outward - at least that is what I think I remember from elementary science classes.
These are the thoughts that have been running through my mind as I think about what Charlotte said about having a good sparkly heart a few weeks ago. God is the white light pouring into each of us. He has loved us into being and has a purpose for each of us. Dirt may get thrown onto us or we may feel like were mired in mud. Yet, with God's grace, the brightness shines through and fights its way through the cracks and broken pieces that meld us together. Would God not want us to use the gifts He has given us to the best of our ability? Cracks and all? Then when we offer them back to Him, He can see through the blood, sweat, and tears, our hard efforts and view them as good and sparkly even if others may only see the dust and grime on the surface.
I thought Charlotte had forgotten that statement about the good sparkly heart but she said it this morning! This time, I said it after we had recorded a video for some of my students. I said, "Nice work, Charlotte!" after we stopped recording? She asked, "Was it good and sparkling?"
What beautiful imagery to think of doing our work in a way that is good and sparkling!! The other night, Adam and I were talking. I said something to the effect of, "Well, you know it's the two of them and all six of the children." Charlotte chimed in and said, "We have just one children here!", with a huge smile on her face. I looked over at Adam then back and Charlotte and said, "Why, yes, you're right!". She said, "Well, actually there are five of us. Hershey, Dusty, Daddy, you, and me!" The joy radiating from her face just sparkled. You should have seen it.
I heard the below song earlier this week when making a coffee run. What an amazing example of taking something that could be viewed as sad or bad to good and sparkling through this beautiful creative art taken from a small girl and her conversation with her Mama who wrote a song about it.
Well, I can't let go of watercolor memories you made me - - and wonder how you could love something else more - - last of my kind, you'll always be my only child! <3 "That's a beautiful song you have there, Mama!" according to four year old Charlotte. Have a listen for yourself.
