“Mommy, Let’s Go Talk”
Her head bows and the tears come as she takes her little hand and covers her crinkled up face.
I stoop low and ask what’s wrong. She takes my hand and says, “Mommy, let’s talk.”
We walk quietly to her bedroom and gently sit on the pink sheets below. In her mature four year old way, she tells me she is sorry for complaining, and that she is having a hard time with it. She says she’s had a rough day. She tells me, through wrinkled expression, how I hurt her feelings.
She is so much like me…sensitive…vulnerable…
I pull her up on my lap and hold her close, her hair tickling my arm, her body warming my mine. I tell her that I struggle with complaining too, and that it is hard to always be positive. I tell her how much I need Jesus because He is the only one who can invade my spirit and change me. I tell her Jesus can change her heart too. She asks me if I love her when she complains. I tell her I will always love her, no matter what, but even more wonderful, Jesus always loves her because she is His.
I forgive her and she forgives me.
I leave her alone on the bed as she takes a few moments to talk to Jesus by herself.
And I thank God for these tender times…the moments she gives me to creep into her heart with compassion and truth and humility and love. The ones where she releases her troubles to me and we, together, release them to Him.
The way she needs me in those moments is the way I need my God. When the day is just too much and I feel like breaking down and losing control and fighting it all, He quiets me. I release my troubles to Him and I know He has compassion on me like I have compassion on her. I know that even though I can’t see him or feel his arms warming me, He is listening…and I feel that in my soul and it warms me from the inside out.
And He helps me.
And I love Him.
And I love her.
And I pray that she will be led to His invisible arms, and that she will cry out to Him and He will nestle her heart with peace.
Because only He can make our hard places soft, and our cold places warm. And only He can save us from ourselves.
The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.
Psalm 103:8-14
what a poignantly beautiful moment, and how appropriately, beautifully you pointed out Jesus to your daughter!
What a precious post! Thanks for sharing such a tender moment between you, your daughter and Jesus!
We call my bed the office. When one of my girls need to chat they say could we go to the office please. We all feel confused and hurt at times but it's that warm feeling in our soul that reminds us of the perfect love xx
Oh, that melts my heart!! What a darling . . . ♥
Breezy´s last [type] ..Aching for black and white
Breezy´s last [type] ..Aching for black and white
Amazing, Sarah Mae…simply amazing!
Kelly Howard´s last [type] ..Green Mondays Have moved!
Kelly Howard´s last [type] ..Green Mondays Have moved!
How that brings me back to just a few short years ago. Such precious times, Sarah. I wasn't planning on tears tonight, but I never want to lose sight of what keeps all of our hearts tender.Continuing to be vulnerable with our children keeps them from becoming hardened by sin's deceitfulness. I choose tears over hardness.
Michelle´s last [type] ..Temptation Begins With a C
Michelle´s last [type] ..Temptation Begins With a C
This melted the walls of frustration and impatience that have been squeezing my heart all day. I really needed this reminder, thank you. I just love how God uses our kids to minister to us.
(By the way, I mentioned the other day I registered for Relevant. YAY! (I blogged about it today, too) While doing so I gave my husband's name because I was using his debit card for payment. My confirmation email shows that Roger is registered and it should be me, Erin. Who can help me get this changed? Thank you so much..)
Erin, no worries, we'll get names all set up before the conference! :)
This is absolutely precious!
I marvel at her sweet, tender spirit. Reminds me of my daughter when she was that age. The Lord has taught me more through my children than I ever learned elsewhere. Thanks for sharing.
Simply. Beautiful. Inspiring.
That is the sweetest thing ever! I just love her sensitivity to God even at 4 years old…amazing!
Hermoso! God himself visiting your family
Love,
Tania
Beautiful Sarah Mae! I hope to one day have a relationship like that with my future children. :)
How lovely that she feels so safe with you that she can say what's on her heart. Isn't that what we want with our children?
This is such a sweet and tender story. Praise God for her sensitive nature…it will make her a very compassionate woman one day…just like her mommy!
Sarah, how beautiful and how amazing…as you described her sitting gently on her bed ready to talk to you about the concerns of her heart…my heart just melted. Aren't our little ones amazing, wonderful gifts? Those moments are the most awesome blessings given to us by God to help us remember how much we love them even when they are frustrating us. Miracle moments we will never forget…a mother's heart holds these forever!
Just thought I'd let you know that this is Mary Joy from Snapshots from my heart and home—My blog got a new name today (which SO excites me!) and a new look. Didn't want to confuse you too much with the new name. :)
Sarah, this is lovely. I have had those sweet moments with my oldest as well and I thank God for that real time. Thanks for sharing your heart.
What beautiful honesty shared between mother and daughter, and a wonderful reminder of our gracious Lord. :)
As a mamma to four grown daughters, I applaud your gentle mothering.