This is how my mum and dad taught us to pray, and this is how we pray with our children. When BigMan is very, very unwell and coughing, quite often during the middle of the night, I pray with him. This past week, BigMan was having a particularly bad coughing fit and in the middle of it his father and I heard him cry, "Dear Jesus!" It broke my heart to hear him so distressed, but it made me happy too, that at such a tender age he already knows that he can call to Jesus for help. And the comforting thing for me, his mum, is that I know that Jesus does hear the prayers of little children.
"Dangerous Journey: The story of Pigrim's Progress"
When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them. Mark 10:14-16
When there's nothing left to be done but cuddle and comfort BigMan, I sing to him the same lullaby my mother sang to me and I recite Psalm 23. BigMan loves the 'Shepherd'. He often asks for mummy to tell him about the 'Shepherd'. I love that.
And just now, as we were finishing our 'Family Worship' with a prayer (BigMan likes us to hold hands, like we do for Grace), I opened my eyes ever so slightly to see my beautiful boy sitting on his Daddy's lap with his eyes squeezed tightly shut. It was oh, so precious.
This print hung in our bedroom while growing up. I used to imagine I was the little girl with her head on Jesus' shoulder.
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. “And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. Matthew 18:1-5
Quick... while Play School is on! Some of the things that have made me smile in the past week or so...
* BigMan's feet in his Daddy's work boots.
*Finding one of BigMan's trucks in his Tupperware draw when I go to make his lunch.
* Harold joining us at meal times.
* This conversation: BigMan: "STOP! There's one way to God!" Mummy: "That's right. There's one way to God through Jesus." BigMan: "Jesus rocks the world!" Can you guess who we've been listening to?
* Using my mum's Kenwood mixer to make yummy food for my family and friends.
*This conversation: "Time to get the cookies out of the oven." "Num Num! I'm a cookie monster. Cookie monster, Mummy! I need a cookie please!"
* I apologise to my friend Mummy McTavish for one of BigMan's temper-tantrums. He replies to me on her behalf, "That's ok. Don't worry."
* BigMan waking up after his nap on 'the wrong side of the bed' and subsequently trying to hide underneath it. I think it was just his attempt to say in the airconditioned comfort for a few more minutes...
* Seeing LittleLady develop a tast for the finer things in life...
* Going to clear BigMan's table after lunch and finding that someone's still hungry.
*BigMan playing with his trike and insisting on wearing his helmet.
* Seeing Little Lady making friends of her own... and her gorgeous play-buddy is only days younger than her!
*The adorable way LittleLady has started scrunching up her nose when she's concentrating hard or starting to get frustrated.
*Watching LittleLady play with the beautiful baby in the mirror.
*Seeing LittleLady's head on her Daddy's shoulder as he takes her back to bed after her 'Dream Feed'.
*Watching LittleLady see her brother's trucks, diggers, Woof and make a bee-line straight for them! She's gaining some speed! And she's started getting up on all four nows, so hopefully this comando-crawl phase will be over sooner rather than later - it's making the front of all her pretty clothes very dirty!
*This...
So above, you'll see my 'The Glass is Half Full' tribute (bucking the family trend here!). My little 'Glass Half Empty' soapbox: BigMan's been sick... again. We're all tired. I miss my mum, my sister and my best friend. Thank goodness I have so much to make me smile! Thank goodness for music like this...
I shared my 'Heidi' 9 block puzzle with BigMan. We played with it together, and then it was put away carefully on the bookshelf... or so I thought... as I went to prepare dinner.
"One, two puddle. One, two puddle. One, two puddle."
Then I feel two little hands grasping my shorts, "Mummy, come here! Mummy, come here pleeeeease!"
Sometimes things do not go as planned.
But once Daddy came home it was straight back to puddles!
"Very often the essential is weightless. Here the essential seems to have been merely a smile. A smile is often the most essential thing. One is repaid by a smile. One is rewarded by a smile. One is animated by a smile." [Antoine de Saint-Exupery]
We went to The Strand Water Park. BigMan was very, very brave!
I thought I was pretty brave, too! I've never attempted the Water Park with both kids on my own before.
It was worth it though! We had so much fun! The smiles were priceless.
At one point my little explorer insisted in standing right. under. the. big. bucket. He coped remarkably well, but it did melt my heart when he ran to me with his arms up for a little cuddle from Mummy.
LittleLady had a wonderful time watching it all from the comfort of her pram!
Once BigMan started chasing the seagulls all the way to the beach, I decided it was time to move on. So with BigMan and Mummy both wet through, we went to play at the park.
As I sat cuddling LittleLady, I watched my still-one-year-old run, run, run, STOP! Stop to pick up a seed pod. Inspect the seed pod. Bite the seed pod and make a face. Run, run, run, STOP! To explore the big metal springs in the 'seesaw' toys and once deemed satisfactory, climb up and bounce away happily. But not for long!
He stood for whole minutes running his little fingers all over the bark of the tree, exploring the grooves and roughness of it, before bending down to play with the stones at his feet. I watched as he climbed up the ladder to the very top of the 'Pirate Ship', run around on top before sliding down the slide and doing it all over again!
I saw my still-one-year-old boy being a little boy. And I want to remember this, because one day he will be a big boy who no longer looks up at me and pleas, "Mummy kiss it better?" or, "Mummy cuddles?"
