Taking a seat at the table and studying my word as I did daily wasn’t anything out of the norm. Most mornings, the twins will stay asleep long enough for Tarrell and I to get a good 45 to 60 min bible study, devotional conversation and even share some laughs before the busyness of the world steps in and consumes our day. I kissed Tarrell as he left for work and not even a few moments after the front door was closed. I heard Tatum and Tamir giggling from the Nursery. A sure sign, it was time for them to get up.
After placing my now iced coffee in the microwave to reheat later and getting the day started, I was distracted from my work space by the sound of baby whimpers from the living room, specifically the fire place. I ran over mentally preparing for the worse but then took note of the two baby feet I saw kicking from behind and a little person struggling to pull something out. I got closer and leaned down watching but did not interrupt his mission- to pull his sippy cup out of the Fireplace Grate.
The mom in me immediately went in to protector/helper mode and tried to grab the sippy cup from the other side in order to allow him to free his hand, I am thinking team work and he is thinking, ROBBERY! I ultimately begged him to let it go so I could help and he was shaking his head while saying “no mommy nooo” refusing to let it go. In an attempt to make him feel better I tried to explain, “mommy just wants to help you baby.. I promise I will not take it I am going to give it right back.” Still dead set on doing this his way, his grip got tighter with each tug and he even started crying. When I can, I try to explain things to our kids because we grew up hearing, “what I say goes” or “I don’t have to explain myself to a child, I am the parent” but I didn’t have the time (I was working) and to be honest at first I was running thin on patience.
“Fine, if you aren’t gonna let go let mommy help you just a little by turning your hand sideways and trying it that way…” he was not budging “NO! MOMMY NO!” What felt like an eternity passed but he tired himself out and dropped it in frustration. As the tears flowed, I grabbed him and I said “pick it up baby” I was thinking to myself- not only am I going to help you but I want you to feel it and see it so you know it’s real and even more it is possible. Whatever fears you have or whatever it is that has happened before (your brothers taking your cup or hiding it from you) that was then, this is now. He picked it up and I grabbed the other side from behind the grate. I took it from him and told him “pull your hand out”, he did it. Now, standing in front of me with soot filled hands and knees (a little even on his lips and cheeks from being pressed up against the grate in attempt to self resolve) I grabbed his hand and told him, “come with Mommy, I am going to wash this cup off… refill it with fresh milk.. and I am gonna clean you off too! This cup is gonna be even better than it was when it went in the fireplace.. so will you.”
A few minutes later, a happy toddler was back on the couch with his favorite blanket calm and content. “Tank you Mommy..” He said so softly when I walked off to return to work.
Who knew little humans could teach us such BIG lessons? I know the Bible says in Psalms 8:2 Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. But have we ever really thought about that though? My grandma used to reference this all the time but I guess it did not hit home until our tiny humans started teaching me life lessons. I imagined that was me holding on to something that I wanted or thought I needed so badly and God was trying to convince me to let it go. The little girl in me (or maybe even full grown woman) would sob, weep, cry or even throw a fit holding on it showcasing how much I didn’t trust him with it. “You are gonna take it from me and never give it back” I would be saying and him, “No, I am going to take it and make it better than it was when I took it away” or “I am going to take it and finish it, it is not ready yet” this next one hurt a little “I am going to take it and hold on to it because YOU are not ready for it yet.” No matter what it is, let it go and trust that God will return it to you better than before. Your cup will run over in ways you never expected, you will be made whole again. Content and happy, a full cup of milk and fresh out the dryer blanket. He wants that for us, do we?