Are You An Expert?

"The colorized spinal tracts are the fasciculus gracilis, the fasciculus cuneatus, the anterolateral system and the lateral corticospinal tract."

"Huh?" I read the above sentence in one of the books my son was studying. Sentence after sentence had more words I DIDN'T know, than words I recognized. I couldn't even begin to guess what he was learning.

I asked him how he knew what all the terms were and how he could remember it all. "Study", he said simply...and then went back to studying.

He is in his first year of medical school.

When my kids were young, I came across a quote that has become a favorite of mine:
When You Love Someone...Become an Expert of that Person

I reflected on that quote as I stared at Dan's textbooks. How was I going to to become an expert of him as a medical student when I couldn't even pronounce the words he was reading? I realized again, the wisdom of the quote as I focused on the word 'become'.

It's an on-going process to become an 'expert' on someone you love. What I knew about Dan as a toddler was the beginning of understanding him bit by bit over the years. I have had to come along side him on a regular basis in order to see him change and develop.

I won't ever BE an expert of my children. As a mom, I can only attempt to become an expert in becoming an expert of my children.

I can listen.

I can watch them.

I can remember special moments that revealed a special love of theirs.

I can ask questions (but not too many!)

I can pray for them.

I can pray for myself...that I truly am seeking to know them and not just control them.

I can find Bible verses that comfort me or fill up my mind so I don't jump to conclusions that are not wise.

I can laugh with them; I can hug them; I can cry with them; I can learn all I can about what they are learning.

I can tell them over and over again I love them in whatever 'love-language' they hear best.

I can thank God for the time, health and energy He has given me to be my kids' mom.

I can continue to ask Him how I can BECOME more of an expert to my children...no matter what age they are.