We Are Not the Same

It's well-known that men and women must have come from different planets--or at least from different parts of God's character; and really, because God is so vast, that could be an even further distance than from Mars to Venus.  ;)  

A few ;) times in my life, I've been bothered by the innate male/female differences; but recently, I have been much more appreciative of them and aware of how God uses those differences in such healthy ways, especially in the raising of children.  It's no wonder that God designed for each child to have a father and a mother because each brings to the parenting table such unique gifts and perspectives.

I was reminded of this last Saturday evening when we were enjoying the utmost in late-spring relaxation: an extremely pleasant evening outside, sitting around in our front yard with our guest Bernhard as well as our next-door neighbors and my parents, drinking root beer floats, watching our children run around and play happily, and just generally savoring life.  As the evening wore on, Tobin was getting tired and fussy and desperately needed a bath since the way he was scooting around the yard ensured optimum dirtiness.  Before I could tear myself away from the sweet fellowship to take Tobin inside to bathe him and put him to bed, Jeff had a brilliant idea:  why not get out the big roasting pan, fill it up with warm water, bring it outside, and let Tobin take a bath in it?  That way, neither Jeff nor I would miss out on the conversation and relaxation, but Tobin would still get clean.  Never in a million years would I have considered doing that, but why not indeed?

Jeff's plan worked perfectly.  Tobin LOVED being in the water, never mind the fact that he was taking a bath in the middle of the front yard surrounded by lots of people who were laughing hysterically at him--well, either at him or at Jeff for having the crazy idea in the first place.  :) For a few seconds, Tobin paused to figure out what was going on...

...and then he began to splash...
...and splash until lots of the water in the roaster had been splashed out onto the ground (and onto anyone who was close enough to get wet).  There were smiles and laughter all around our circle as Tobin's contagious joy rubbed off on us...well, that and the fact that we womenfolk couldn't quite believe Jeff had actually carried out his plan, and we couldn't stop giggling.  ;)
Tobin would gladly have stayed in this improvised bathtub for much longer; but as the water and the air temperature cooled, Jeff got him out, wrapped him in a towel, and started to take him inside for bed.  And then Tobin cried!

Through all of this, even though this style of bathing our little guy isn't exactly natural for me, I was grateful for the fact that Tobin has a daddy who is so creative and just plain FUN!

But there's more...

The next evening, Sunday, Jeff gave me the opportunity to hear the final concert of the EMHS Touring Choir (a group of which I was once a proud member), and it was an evening of glorious music.  What wasn't glorious was the mess that awaited me in my kitchen at home; after a whirlwind weekend (except for the relaxation outside on Saturday night), it looked like a tornado had gone through the kitchen, and I wasn't looking forward to cleaning it up when I got home.

However, when I walked into the house and went into the kitchen, I couldn't believe my eyes.  The kitchen was cleaned up...dishwasher quietly humming...cans washed out and ready to be put with the recycling...countertops cleaned...table completely cleared of the random debris that had accumulated there over the previous two days.  It was amazing.  I knew, of course, that Jeff had done it because the only other option--my mother--had been at the concert with me.  I was so thankful for his help.  But then I found out even more.  Not only had he completely cleaned up the kitchen, he had also mopped the kitchen floor and cleaned the wood floor in the living room.  Speaking of the floor, pick me up off it because I could hardly believe it!  It was enough that he took care of all three boys so I could have the evening off to peacefully enjoy the concert, but to do all that cleaning on top of it?  Wow!!!  

Then came the funny part: Jeff's method of mopping the kitchen floor was to, once again, put Tobin in that roasting pan with some warm water.  Tobin predictably splashed lots of water out of the pan.  Jeff would then use that water to mop that section of the floor, then move Tobin to a different part of the floor where Tobin would then splash, Jeff would mop, and on and on all over the kitchen.  That's by far the funniest mopping technique I've ever heard of!  But hey, it worked; and not only did the floor get clean but Tobin was entertained (and bathed) in the process.  It cracks me up to imagine it...

Sometimes I think I just need to sit back and take lessons from Jeff.  I need to get inside his head and, not only appreciate his way of thinking, but learn from and imitate it!  He may be different from me, but it's a difference that God--and I--can pronounce VERY GOOD!