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Friday, June 10, 2011

My 18 Month Old Teacher

I mentioned before that my son is sometimes too brave for his own good. He'll run off a step that he should crawl down, or hoist himself up into a chair and not know how to get back down. He loves adventure and the tickle in his tummy when he's thrown in the air or pushed high on the neighborhood swings. He's going to ride roller coasters with me while daddy watches someday. I just know it.

But... he's also very cautious at times.

We took him to experience the great wonder that is the ocean for the first time a couple weeks ago. We couldn't wait to see what his expression would be when he saw all the water, heard the waves, and felt the sand for the first time. It's magical for anyone and we were so excited to see it through our son's fresh eyes.

As we suspected, the first time his precious little toes met the sand, he immediately smiled and would giggle as the weight of his toddler-sized body forced the sand away from his feet with every step. He loved it...

As long as he was holding the hand of his momma or daddy. With the way the sand moved from under his feet, he knew he would likely fall if we let go. He just didn't have the balance quite figured out yet, and he knew that.


The second we let go of his hand, he would immediately freeze in place and reach his hand up for ours, paralyzed until we came to help him navigate this tricky new terrain. He would stand there, hand in the air saying, "Eese. Eese." (You may recognize this more commonly in your non-toddler-world as "please.")

And it made me think...

How many times do I find myself in a tricky section of life and just step out on my own, only to have the ground around me crumble, leaving me in a heap on the floor? I'll tell you - way too many. I'm so often too brave for my own good and seem to tell God, "I got this. You can go handle all of the other peoples' problems." And what I really should do is exactly what Corben taught me...

Wait on the Lord with my hand up saying, "Please. Please. Come walk with me through this. I don't want to try this alone."

By the end of the week, Corben had mastered the feeling of the shifting sands and was able to walk down to the sweet, salty ocean alone. And it could be that way with the Lord. If I would let Him, He could teach me how to navigate the slippery times until they no longer felt slippery. He could impart the wisdom I'd need to travel the tough road...if I only would allow Him.

Oh, the lessons I learn through this little life the Lord blessed me with. We're only 18 months in! I can only imagine the wisdom I will have been afforded by the time he hits 18 years. I just pray that I'm an attentive student, not off trying to master the world on my own.

Lord, help me do this right. Please. Please.


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