Rest

Hannah (3 months old)

The other night, actually I guess it's early morning, Hannah woke up crying. This isn't totally uncommon, but usually she's back off in dreamland in a couple of minutes. But this time she got louder and louder. The mommy in me told me something must be wrong. So, through the bleary eyes that I had, I stumbled to the kitchen to pour a cup of milk for her to drink. That's always a sure fire way to get her back to sleep. (I know what some of you are thinking, but when I'm tired I'll do what it takes to get the kid back to sleep. She's gonna lose her baby teeth anyway right?) So by this time, she's truly screaming and mad - very unlike Hannah.

I walk into her room, change her diaper, walk out to the dark den. Still crying in my ear - loudly. I reach for the secret weapon - the cup of warm milk. She doesn't even reach for it. Pushes it away and continues to cries. Then she starts crying, "nigh nigh, nigh nigh." I'm figuring she just wants to go back to bed, so I put her back to bed, screaming. After 5 more minutes of screaming, I go get her again...

Now what? She's refusing to give in to the secret weapon? What's one tired mommy to do? Ah yes - Tylenol! Being an expert in Tylenol, I know it takes about 20 minutes for the stuff to kick in and help ease the pain, wherever it may be. I'm thinking to myself, I can't listen to screams for 20 minutes...what do I do?

I sat down in the rocking chair and began to rock gently. Then I pulled out all the stops and started the singing. First it was "Amazing Grace". Always we start with that one. Then, I thumbed through the old Baptist Hymnals in my head and sang "Old Rugged Cross", "It Is Well With My Soul", "There's Just Something About That Name", and others. I wasn't through the 4th verse of "Amazing Grace" before Hannah got quiet. Well into "Old Rugged Cross" she was still, and by "It Is Well With My Soul" she was asleep.

When I looked down at her, she had her hands folded together like they were praying. Her face looked so much more peaceful and she was nestled tenderly, yet safely in my arms. I just sat there watching her for a little while, and while I was doing that God gave me a great picture.

He showed me that when we are crying, screaming, tired, uncomfortable with life and the secret weapon just won't cut it, to run to Him. In those 20 minutes of singing, Hannah fell sound asleep. God told me that if I would just spend 20 minutes of time worshiping with Him daily, my tone about life would change. When I'm tired, crying, screaming, uncomfortable, God said, come to me. REST in my arms knowing that I am caring for you. Just like I love Hannah and Karys and want to do anything to protect them, God wants the same for me. Things always get better for the girls in the arms of a parent. How much greater is my life spent in the arms of my Heavenly Father?

"Come to me all you who are weary and heavy hearted and I will give you rest!"