Wednesday, December 19, 2012

A few quick lessons from the little ones

Being an adult is often so humbling...I learn so much from my children and wanted to take a minute to share a few insights they have taught me lately.  Hope you enjoy them!

Yesterday my two year old was trying to get the headphones off of the computer desk.  He had gotten ahold of one end and was pulling with all his might.  No matter how hard he pulled, he could not get the headphones down.  From where I sat, I could see that there was a knot in the wire part and the harder he pulled, the tighter the knot became, and the tighter the knot got, the less likely the headphones were to be obtained.  I tried to get him to let go so I could undo the knot, but he wouldn't release his hold on them.  I couldn't help but think of how often I had been in the same predicament.  Can you relate?  Way too many times I can remember wanting something, catching a glance of it, reaching out and grabbing ahold of it and then pulling with all my might.  But no matter how hard I pulled I could not seem to obtain the object.  I wonder if God was looking from above the scene, trying to pry my fingers off of the cords so that He could free the object for me, but I refused to let go and trust God to know more than me. Hmm?  and Ouch!

My 11 month old is at that wonderful stage where he loves to play peek-a-boo.  We were enjoying some giggles while playing this game just last week.  Of course, I am a teacher at heart so I understand that play is really a secret way of learning new things.  For example, peek-a-boo, and it's older brother, hide and go seek, helps to teach the concept of "object permanence."  This concept helps babies to learn that just because they can't see something doesn't mean it is not there.  As my little guy and I were playing, it struck me that, though God never hides from us, we do need to learn the lesson of object permanence....just because we cannot see God, doesn't mean He isn't there.  Sometimes a situation is so desperate, (the Sandy Hook shootings, for example) that I struggle to see God in all the details.  Hebrews 13:5 reminds us, "“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”  And yet still, when the flood waters start rising, it sometimes feels like God is nowhere to be found. I hope the next time I feel this way, I will remember that though it feels like God is playing hide and seek with me, God is not hiding, which can only mean that I have not been seeking...
Thoughts? Comments?  I always love feedback!  

2 comments:

  1. Hi! I'm stopping over from the No More Perfect Moms group. Looking forward to getting to know you as we work together to help promote Jill's book. :^)

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  2. Hi Tina! Welcome! I am looking forward to getting to know everyone also and I am loving the book so far!

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