The Wisdom of Grace

Yesterday was a BIG day for Gracie. She went to her first birthday party. The day started with Sunday School, then Kid's Praise (children's church), then a potluck for our new pastor of student ministries and his wife, then the birthday party during what is usually naptime for Grace.



THIS WAS A PARTY! Everything was pink: cake, streamers, and five little 3 and 4 year old girls in their pink swim suits. There were two little wading pools and a slip 'n slide. Grace came home when it was over, sat on the couch talking incessantly, and next thing I knew, all was silent. Silence makes me VERY NERVOUS, so I ran into the living room and this is where I found her...







She was completely wiped out; this was really messing up my plans for the evening. Greg and I were planning to go for a jog together when it cooled down a bit and then watch a movie we rented. We can leave Abby in charge for a bit and take our cell phone along, and this kind of thing goes very well when Grace is exhausted and goes to sleep right away at bedtime. But it was 6:00! She had been sleeping for 45 minutes already; I had to wake her up.



This was a bad idea. I probably should have put her right in bed and dealt with it when she woke up at 5:00am, but instead I had a precious, three-year-old monster on my hands. She would not/could not stop crying. I tried putting her in her room for some "alone time" to calm down : no good. I tried putting her on my lap, snuggling, and cheering her up : couldn't do it. I told her if she wanted me, she needed to calm down and stop crying or she would have to be alone in her room. Finally through huge, choking sobs I could barely make out her words,

"I want to cry WITH YOU in my room. I have to cry."

What could I say; that was so well put. I've been there and have probably said almost the same thing to my Heavenly Father. I believe He delights in those words so much more than, "I'll be back in a moment; I need to calm myself down."

Today's poignant quip by Grace involved her deep desire to play in the rain under her umbrella coupled with her fear of thunder. She refused to come inside, but stood on the back patio under her umbrella yelling, "Somebody needs to come out here and keep me safe in the thunder!"

Here is the result:

O, to be willing to risk the storm in brave dependence on The One who keeps me safe in the thunder.