The other day while I was making myself presentable to the outside world, I was privy to a little accidental dose of two-part harmony. Hub was in the bathroom brushing Bug’s teeth–an experience always ripe for chuckles. Bug is the kind of guy who picks up his honey mustard condiment cup to drink it. I kid you not. He wants catsup on his plate so he can attempt to pick it up with his fork and eat it sans french fries, despite numerous attempts to offer a better solution. Pancakes translates as syrup and syrup with a side of bacon to Bug. I’m sure you’re getting the pattern here. He tends to have his own ideas about how things ought to be done. I wonder where he got that?
So, here’s how the two-part harmony normally plays out: a grown-up “aaah” paired with a Bug-sized “aaah” when we’re brushing the back teeth, and a grown-up “eeee” paired with a Bug-size when taking care of the front. Oddly enough, they’re almost always in near harmonious pitch. In this rendition, however, Daddy’s “aaah” was met with Bug’s much louder “eeee.” And vice versa. Several times. Bug was having way too much fun making his own sound to hear Daddy’s instructions.
Don’t you hate it when that happens? Sometimes I’m just too busy making my own melody to hear the right note. Hub and I have noticed an increased harmony in our hearts and lives recently because we are finally getting on the same page with God in a few areas. Home responsibilities, work schedules, parenting styles, church commitments, family time–we’re finally letting go of the “eeee” to embrace the “aaah” first. Don’t get me wrong. It’s not a huge overhaul, just a few little things (and mindsets) to start with that are making a big difference. It’s a good feeling.
Sometimes, like Bug, we want to do what God wants. We’re on board with brushing our teeth. It’s just a matter of who’s doing the brushing. We want to call the shots. So, maybe our intentions and desires are correct, but we need to yield to the one with the brush to achieve harmony and get there. I find when I surrender the act of calling the shots, when I go with God for the “aaah” first, the “eeee” usually falls into place as I’d hoped. Maybe it’s not the path I would have taken, but the destination is the same and the ride was full of a lot more laughter and contentment… and harmony.
Well, they got the job done. When Hub finally got his attention, Bug was happy to join Daddy in the “aaah,” and impromptu two-part harmony was restored. Music to my ears. I got up from my seat with makeup fixed and this:
Harmony has a source and an order. I can’t achieve it until I go to the source and submit to the proper heart hygiene.
Tiny messages God continues to include with our gifts — 2 little joys of boys and 1 little jewel of a girl, each with open eyes, open ears, open hearts, and much to teach. “Behold children are a gift of the Lord…” (psalm 127:1)
Hello & welcome! I’m Haley Montgomery, and I’m the designer and owner of 
