The Beauty of Time

I've been thinking about time lately. I wrote about slowing down on the Country Roads section, and about how slowing down is important~and getting sick reminded me of this one! Today, I've been thinking about how impatient most of us are. Specifically me.

I'm so used to instant everything~text messaging, email, internet information at my fingertips, microwave cooking...So, this past year when I began working with Mary Madison in her 4th grade math text, I was sure that she would instantly get multipication and division.

I spent the entire year doing all I could, using stories, being patient(well, not always), doing the work with her, etc. Yet, she didn't seem to be "getting" it. Family members noted and commented on it. I worried that she should be doing what all fourth graders should, according to some idea devised by educators who never met my daughter. But, the school year ended and she was still struggling a bit.

During the summer, I've backed off. Maddie has played, picked up her new 5th grade math book and worked a bit, cooked, calculated tithes and savings on her allowance. She's totally had the freedom to learn what she wanted, when she wanted.

So, the other day Maddie walked in and said, "Hey Mom, is that what you've been trying to teach me all year?" She explained multiplication and division in two sentences. And then smiled and proclaimed, "Wow, that's so easy!"

What made the difference? I'm not sure of all of it, but a big factor was time. Maddie is a smart girl, "fearfully and wonderfully made" by her heavenly Father. And, when not pushed, she learned what she needed to know in her time. Which is, after all, HIS time.

So what kinds of things are you needing to wait for? Give others in your life the freedom to change and grow in their time, the Father's time. It may be one of the hardest things you'll do but I can guarantee you the joy of discovery you'll see others come to will make it worthwhile. And, while we're at it, maybe we can allow ourselves time too. After all, it's the stuff memories are made of.