Tuesday, March 01, 2005

lessons from the nursery

there really is nothing like the feeling of holding your sweet baby in your arms and watching him fall asleep. baby jack is sick again and i feel so awful for him. this is the second ear infection in a month, and his little tummy is also not doing so well with the medicine for the ear...what a vicious cycle! he just wants me to hold him all the time, and i really don't mind because he is just about the most adorably cuddly little thing in the world! i finally got him to sleep for now...we'll see how many hours he goes before waking in pain...poor little guy, on top of it all he is congested...matt spent the night with him the other night on a blanket in the bathroom with a hot shower running so the steam would let him breathe...what a good daddy he is!

there really is something just so amazing about the fact that my arms have the ability to comfort this little person...to bring him a feeling of safety, warmth, peace, and love. my little boy continually gives me a new picture of God's love for me. i realize that i look to alot of other things to bring me comfort before looking to the source of ultimate peace. my little boy knows where to look...why don't i? i once heard chris seidman explain the holy spirit with an analogy of his little boy. Chris said he didn't think his baby always knew what he needed when he cried...he just knew he needed something, so he cried, and it was his job as a parent to figure out what he needed. in the same way, when we don't know the words to pray and all we can do is groan and cry out to God, the Holy Spirit intercedes and speaks to God on our behalf...i have always thought that was beautiful and it has taken on new meaning since jack was born. just recently i have been reminded again that i often put my faith in people and not in the Lord, and then i am disappointed when people fail me. but God will never fail me. as my baby boy grows, although i love his need for my comfort, i pray that He will always look to the Lord to be His ultimate strength.

one thing about chris seidman's analogy that must happen on our parts...we must cry out...we must look to the Lord...i have learned yet another lesson from my seven month old...help is not far away...all we have to do is cry out, reach our arms up and let our Father hold us in His arms...

things have been crazy lately...i have let myself get completely overwhelmed and unfocused...but as i held my sweet boy in my arms tonight, i cried...i prayed...and i rested in the overwhelming peace of knowing that the Father was holding us both.

5 comments:

Kate said...

I am so thankful that God doesn't need us to know exactly what to ask for. So many times I have missed what it was I truly needed, but God has answered even when I didn't know what to pray. And fortunately for us, no matter how many times we cry out to him, even with the same problem or request, he doesn't hesitate to comfort and answer us. While it's hard for me to comprehend God not getting tired of me asking for forgiveness and praying for strength over and over and over, I cannot imagine Jack crying and you saying, "Sorry, I've already picked you up 16 times today, and I just can't do it anymore." Thanks for the reminder, and I hope little Jack gets well soon!

Brandon Scott Thomas said...

great and encouraging thoughts here. Thank you!

Shelly said...

You left such an encouraging note on my blog this morning and now I read yours and am even more encouraged. I'm so sorry baby Jack is sick again. I took Hayley to get her shots today and got teary as I was leaving thinking about all of the parents in this world who have to watch their children hurt---whether it's sickness or emotional hurts---any kind of hurt. It just tears your heart up, doesn't it? What a beautiful analogy of the Holy Spirit and a precious picture of God our Father. How many times has he "laid on the bathroom floor" with us to "help us breathe?" You and Matt are a bigger blessing in my life than you realize. Let's get together and play sometime soon. I would love to spend some time together! Give that baby a big squeeze for me!

jettybetty said...

Such great thoughts--I am so thankful you are writing them down! How wonderful it is you can learn from God through Jack's ear infections! I do hope he is better SOON though! JB

Katherine said...

What a great analogy- it was just what I needed to hear right now...thanks so much for sharing that!! May God bless you as you enjoy each new day with your precious son and as the Father reveals new insights of His mercy and grace through Him.