Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Pictures Worth 1000 Words

My sons are an awesome study in nature vs. nurture. Same gender, same birthday, raised in the exact same environment yet incredibly different. Every now and then I stumble across something that beautifully expresses their uniqueness. This one is so delightful I had to share it.
Last week after school I opened their backpacks to review their work. R & P are in the same class this year, so I am accustomed to seeing their different versions of the same assignment, but generally speaking the parameters are such that the differences are mild.

This was a far more open ended assignment. They were each given a stack of colorful shapes and a blank sheet of paper. Same materials, same broad instructions...but the final product was a perfect display of their individuality.
R- Meticulously ordered--process oriented. "An ice cream fack-to-wee wiff a weal conveyor belt." He walked me through what happens at each box from the formation of the cones to the loading of the trucks that take them to the grocery store.
P- Abstract, creative and a bit more random and free. He even added his own fictional creature at the top using a leaf he had stashed in his pocket from the playground. "See how it is flying through the air, Mom?" The red square on the bottom has an accordion fold so that it is springy and 3D.

The symbolism is powerful...two people, same materials, totally different output. I cannot wait to see what God has in store for them.

Lord, I praise you because my children are fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Their frames were not hidden from You when they were made in that secret place. When they were woven together in the depths of the earth, Your eyes saw their unformed bodies. All the days ordained for them were written in Your book before one of them came to be. (Paraphrase of Psalm 139:14-16)

2 comments:

Kylie and crew. said...

Oh I love this J. I was just thinking about how different my children are and if I'm doing something different in the way I have raised them....but this just boils it down so clearly! As always I just LOVE your blog.

nen said...

Now that is precious. Wonderful how God places such amazingly different souls in our midst. I am lovin Leaf Guy.