Last night I had the privilege of watching my friend Shannon's three year old son Eli. Shannon's grandfather passed away and they needed someone to watch Eli and sit at her mothers house while they were at the funeral home. When I got there, Eli was running around the house pushing a toy and being a boy. Once everyone left it seemed eerily quiet. It feels weird sitting in someone else's house while they aren't there!
Within minutes of everyone leaving, Eli came and sat next to me on the love seat and gently put his hand on my arm. We sat and watched Cars on the TV for a few minutes and he snuggled up next to me. Baby Will was also in my lap and Eli would stretch his arms across and give Will a hug. Will sat there and smiled up at him. I asked Eli about how school went that day and he told me all about playing with a ball and how he took a nap that afternoon. (Later when I told Shannon, she was surprised because all afternoon people had been asking how his first day of school went and he wouldn't tell anybody anything.)
As we sat there watching the movie, my heart was so touched...I felt, special. He chose me and felt comfortable enough to crawl up next to me and tell me about his day. It is such a special thing to be loved by a child. I know that children don't do that with just anyone. It is a privilege when they "choose" you. I realized that I had never sat with just Eli and I. Usually him and Foster and Randol are running around the house or playing outside together. Children are so precious and so sweet and all that is good in this world is wrapped up in their little smiles.
As I sat there feeling so treasured, I wondered if that's how God feels when we take time out of our day to "snuggle" with Him. The world runs us ragged and we go 90 miles an hour just trying to keep up. I know He's standing there waiting for us to just stop and crawl into His everlasting arms.
As I sat there with the two boys, I remembered my prayer on my way over to the house. In addition to praying for my friends family as they went through this time, I also prayed for peace. When I left my house it was so chaotic. I had just finished cooking a gourmet meal of macaroni and cheese for Wesley and the kids to eat. Wesley had just walked in the door from a very stressful day at work. Randol's friend from up the street was over and I had told her it was time to go home. Randol was wanting to ride her bike up to her house, but I wouldn't let her because then Wesley wouldn't know where she was. Foster was screaming, pitching a fit because he knew I was leaving and I wasn't putting on his shoes to bring him with me. It was crazy. I felt guilty driving away in my quiet van as I realized what a sacrifice this was for Wesley. I prayed God would bless him while I was gone. As I sat there with Eli snuggled up to me I knew, I had been so blessed. I only hoped that he had too.
If only we could be like the little children who wanted nothing more than to crawl into Jesus lap and listen to His stories; to be able to let everything go and to simply trust Him with our lives. How simple life would be. There would be no burden to carry around because it would be on the Fathers shoulders-not ours. We'd know, He was going to take care of it and He has our best interests at heart. Oh, to sit in the lap of my Savior. Is there any sweeter place to be?
"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!..."
~ 1 John 3:1
No comments:
Post a Comment