Carry Me

I thought I would post a couple recent pictures of the boys. They are growing and changing so quickly. Some days I give them an extra squeeze just to stock up against the time when they are too big for such things.

Caleb has outgrown naps and his favorite Toddler Tunes video. He can dress himself and bathe himself (mostly) and eat ice cream without wearing most of it. Nathan is stringing full sentences together and marching into Sunday School without crying or clinging. These are welcome advances. On the other hand, they both tend to regress at night. Caleb wants milk at bedtime and then inevitably has an accident at 3am. Nathan wakes frequently and inexplicably.

You may remember Nathan's night terrors from nearly a year ago. Thankfully, we seem to be past the screaming and flailing and irrational terror that characterized his waking then. We do, however, still struggle with nighttime fears.

As I was putting Nathan to bed last night he said around the thumb in his mouth, "Scary animals get me!" I told him that God is always with us and that he is big and strong. We can ask him to keep us safe. I asked Nathan if he wanted to pray and ask God to take care of him. He closed his eyes and said, "God... BIG and strooooong...please carry me. Amen."

I love the theology of children.

Yes, God, you are big and strong. Please carry me today. Carry me through the things I fear. Carry me when I am impatient and irritable and at my worst. Carry me when the boys look to me to understand you. Carry me when I need rest and peace. Carry me close to your heart where I belong. Amen.