All of our children have been interested in Darryl and my childhood. What we had, what we did, what we ate, etc…Jayden primarily is the one now with all the questions. He could hardly contain himself when he heard we had only 7 TV channels to choose from. Then he wanted to know if we had Disney Channel. Nope. Nickelodeon? Nope. It was quite shocking to him that cartoons came only on Saturday mornings.
After answering all his questions about my childhood he appeared grateful and bounced off to choose from the 200+ channels on TV. I was left reminiscing about my childhood. I grew up an urban Indian that is not on a reservation. In fact, the only dirt my feet touched was the school playgrounds and softball fields. I grew up in a two parent home with a big sister and brother. Yes, I am the baby! You know it has it perks.
The New Birth Order Book has a whole chapter on the baby of the family – Chapter 9. It begins, “First of all, I want all you babies of the family to know that I’m on to you. I know you have just skipped the first eight chapters and started right here.” Okay, I am believer because as the baby of the family that is just what I did.
It goes on to say, “Youngest children in the family are typically the outgoing charmers, the personable manipulators. They are also affectionate, uncomplicated, and sometimes a little absent minded.” Aren’t you glad you know me a little better? This is the one that cracked me up, “Last borns are the most likely to show up at the elementary school concert or the Sunday school picture (or in my case at Six Flags) unzipped or unbuttoned in some delicately obvious area. It stands to reason, then, that the family clown or entertainer is likely to be the last born.”
 |
| Unzipped in an obviously delicate area screams baby! |
My family can testify to this truth, “The last born gets the family together for the big Thanksgiving or Christmas photo, working tenaciously to maneuver everyone into place and to snap the shutter.” It goes on to say, “Only a last born baby of the family is likely to grow up, get a degree, become a therapist, and still keep a handle that sounds like a nickname or pet label of some kind.” Yes, I know I didn’t come out a therapist, but a Public Health Officer, whose goal is “protecting, promoting, and advancing the health and safety of the Nation”. Instead of one degree, I have two and I enjoy my chosen profession and get deep satisfaction from helping others, but my cherished avocation is living in the realm of creation. I love writing, photography, scrapbooking, sewing, decorating, just about anything that has to do with creating, and I do it whenever and wherever I can. The last positive trait of a last born is being “tenacious, persistent, driven, determined” they seldom take no for an answer until it is quite obvious to everyone around them that there is no changing their mind, they will just wait and let them see on their own misdirection. Unfortunately, I have far too many of these stories of tenacious determination; but the most recent is that I was determined I would be back at work two weeks after my knee replacement. Several people told me, even doctors, that is not likely possible; but I was determined, optimistic and WRONG!
 |
| Not only do I ensure group photos on Thanksgiving & Christmas, but any time there is a group event. A self timer on a camera and tripod are the last born's favorite inventions! |
Certainly those are all positive traits of being a last born, but we do have a dark side too. Some of the weaknesses noted are: “manipulative, even a little flaky, seeming to be too slick and a bit unbelievable, may come across as undisciplined, prone to talk too much and too long, may push too hard because they see things only their way, can be gullible, easily taken advantage of; make decisions too much on feeling and not enough on thought, may appear to be absent-minded, a little out of focus – like an airhead; may appear having a big ego, temperamental, spoiled or impatient.” Excuse me? Airhead? Gullible? Okay, but Airhead? Puh-lease!
As I continued to think on my childhood several things stuck out in my mind. I remember being so excited when I finally discovered that the buildings downtown actually had bottoms! I remember being terrified that there was a monkey hanging from the shower curtain rod in the bathroom only to discover it was a black bra hanging to dry. See, gullible!
I remember taking my dad’s boots off when he came home from work. This was one of the highlights of my day! I know gross, smelly all day work feet, but to me, my dad’s feet didn’t smell stinky. To me, it was fun. I would straddle his leg, grab hold of the bottom of the boot and move forward and occasionally he would put his other foot on my backside and give me a push and I would go flying. I know that sounds crazy, but it was a lot of fun and a highlight of my day. Not sure why Gaye and Levi didn’t want to do it, but I didn’t care that was my job. It was like I was his own personal welcoming party, ready to give him a warm friendly welcome home from a hard days work and it meant time to relax! This would fit in the category of the last born of being affectionate and engaging, caring, lovable and wanting to help.
I remember the super first born, great housekeeper Gaye drawing an imaginary line down the middle of our lime green room and distinguishing her side from mine. I always wondered what made her tick. I was the first born’s worst nightmare. I loved a messy room growing up, it fed my creativity, now I can’t stand a messy room.
 |
| Oh how I wished a had a picture of our lime green room to share with you. |
I remember lots of gymnastic and softball practices, meets and games. Bar-B-Q-cups were my most favorite meal outside of a Big Mac at McDonalds, but we didn’t get to go out to eat often and I had to hit a homerun to earn one. Athletic bribery at it’s finest. It worked though and people thought I had a big ego when I actually just had a big appetite for a Big Mac.
 |
| I played softball from T-ball through College, here is just one of the co-ed teams I played on for fun. |
Finally, I remember hiding vegetables under the table in the corner crevices once everyone had left the dinner table because I didn’t want to eat them. See, manipulative. However, that didn’t last long because when mom moved the table to sweep, out rolled shriveled up green beans.
Hopefully as I have matured I have taken on more positive characteristics of Christ and not the last born’s strengths or weaknesses. I can either be preoccupied with my weaknesses or concentrate on my strengths, either way it is pride and sin. Yes, there are truths about myself that are worth affirming, but it is nothing of me, but all from God, such as:
I am loved with an everlasting love. (Jeremiah 31:3)
I am chosen and redeemed. (Galatians 3:14)
I am more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37)
I am a partaker of His divine nature. (2 Peter 1:4) I am casting down vain imaginations and bringing every thought into captivity (2 Corinthians 10:4,5) because I am being transformed by the renewing of my mind (Romans 12:1,2).
The truth is I don’t have what it takes. It is not “All About Me” as many of the t-shirts say it is. It is not I’m awesome. I’m cool. Look at me, but rather look to Him, Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). It is Him who I choose to fix my eyes upon, His endurance of the cross for my shame.
Psalm 139 describe the wisdom, the foreknowledge God has our very being and each of our days. No where can we go or flee from His presence, He is acquainted with all of our ways. He knows our sitting down and rising up. He knows those green beans that I attempted to hide from my parents, yet He loves me. His thoughts toward me are precious and they outnumber the grains of sand.
What childhood memories do you have to share? Did you hide green beans because you didn’t want to eat them? Or were you a first, middle or only child? Which ever one thing is certain, we are each fearfully and wonderfully made.
No comments:
Post a Comment