Thursday, February 21, 2013

You Can Learn A Lot From A Toddler

I don't think I ever realized how much I could learn from my children...

And then they got sick.

And I was (am) a zombie.

Because I have barely slept, my brain can't function at capacity- which means that instead of my normal 3684763546354368 thoughts at a time, it's pretty much just the one... or three.  It's much quieter in there, I must admit.

And as such, I have been able to notice some things that might otherwise go unnoticed in my typical hurrying and busyness.

All of my observations have led me to this- you can learn a great deal from a toddler... if you pay attention.

Cue Shepherd.

Shepherd is the baby- my baby and has this way of really melting my heart with just the one look.  Seriously- look at that face.

But Shepherd, unknowingly, opened my eyes this past week.  When he wasn't feeling well, all he wanted was to be held by mommy and daddy.

He didn't want snacks, entertainment, or even his siblings.  All he wanted was to be held.

And in considering this, I realized how many times I have been in the midst of a situation, and what I NEED is to be held by my creator, allowing Him to bring comfort and healing.  But instead of falling on the cross and allowing Jesus to hold me, I often turn to food, to friends, or to Facebook for comfort.  It's not my first instinct to go straight to Jesus and pour out my heart to Him, allowing Him to hold me while I "get better"... but oh, how I wish I was more like Shepherd in this- completely dependent on mom and dad, un-tainted by the internet and the "independence" modeled by the world around us.

Seriously...  I wish I was like Shepherd in many ways.  I wish I ran to my daddy for healing, for comfort, for rest...  but it's far too often that I have become independent and managed to try to forge my own way.  I see now why Jesus emphasized our need to become like little children.

I mean, have you ever watched a toddler who is being carried by mom or dad?  When picked up, Shepherd instinctively trusts that we will carry him and not let him fall.

I wonder how many times I've run to God and asked Him to carry me, but all the while, I worry about falling, and consequently, I wrestle my way out of His arms...

Think about it.  Your kids can teach you so, so much about who you are, and who you can be...  pay attention and be blessed!

Just my thoughts for today.  I learned much, much more during our week with the flu, but I'm still recovering from a lack of sleep, so I'll keep it brief before this train of thought derails for the evening, resulting in a series of unfortunate rabbit trails.

Growing through parenthood,

The Real Life Mom



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