Rest

Last week, my sweet friend Amy kept Sam for a few hours while I ran some "mommy errands".  She has a son, Kai, who is about 31/2 months older than Sam.  (They are good buddies!)   I glean from the lessons she learns through each new stage Kai goes through, knowing that Sam will soon be entering the same one.  Amy is patient with my many questions about schedules, baby food, teething, etc.  On this visit, we chatted about training our children to rest.  She shared an article that was passed on to her which basically talked about starting a quiet time with your children.  

The author writes: 

"One of the best things I ever did was start a quiet time with our son when he was about five months old.  I would hold him on my lap and gently restrict his movements into a small range by holding his wrists loosely.  He could move but not a whole lot... For the first few days he was really mad! He would scream and I would whisper, "rest", and, "I love you", when he took a breath." 

The author goes on to say that after a couple of weeks of doing this daily, her son's crying and protesting stopped, and he learned to come to a rest and actually began enjoying their quiet time together.  (This training is helpful for teaching young children to sit in your lap quietly and contentedly during occasions such as presentations, gatherings, and church.)

Although I think this is a great idea to try with Sam, the reason I am writing is not to share mommy advise, but to share what the Lord is reminding me as I process this idea.  I am your typical Type A who tries to keep everything neat and in order. (Ha! When you become a mom, this is thrown out the window!)  I am currently a bit overwhelmed with the responsibilities I am balancing--most of which are non-negotiables.  Most days, as soon as my feet touch the ground, I am running around from one thing to the next.  And, if my feet aren't running, my mind is.  Most nights, I stay up trying to catch up, only to subtract hours of sleep and add more to the to-do list.  Sound familiar to anyone?  :)  

Last night, as I anxiously laid awake in bed, God brought to mind the above article and my conversation with Amy as if to whisper, "Dear child, My desire is for you to rest...I love you."   Tears flowed.  I am like that 5 month old that screams inside if I am "restricted" from accomplishing daily goals or personal deadlines.  To sit still would take more than holding my wrists loosely.  In the midst of chaos, I have always had a difficult time letting things go in order to stop.  Even my sweet husband's head spins when he tries to keep up with my scattered steps and thoughts.  When the weight of every day life seems too heavy to bear, God says STOP and rest!  It is then that we realize that our strength does not come from endurance and repetition.  It comes from resting and allowing the Lord to work through us.  When we are weak, He is strong!

Lord, thank you for loving me enough to speak truth into my life.  Teach me to rest!  Even when the world around me is spinning, teach my heart to be still. I recognize that there will always be more tasks to do and more errands to run, but help me to stop and bask in Your presence.  May I not forsake my quiet time with You each day. 

[Photos from our trip to GA will be coming soon for those of you who prefer pictures of Sam over the ramblings of my words...]  :)