Rescue Me

Yesterday my dear friend and neighbor visited with her 4-month old baby. The baby wanted to play with all the "big kid" toys, and the mom let her lie on her stomach for a while reaching for those toys just out of grasp and complaining (crying!) about her own immobility. In parent-speak, we call that "tummy time" basically letting your baby get mad and flounder about, with the broader goal of building those stomach muscles they'll need to roll and crawl later.

I was thinking about that as I had a couple of moments with Alex when I really wanted to rush in and help him out. He had lost a piece from his favorite toy, and my immediate thought was to tell him "Don't worry, we'll buy you a new one." But I realized even before I spoke the words that buying him something new every time he lost something wouldn't help him take care of his things, even if we could afford it. And so it is with our kids, that we need to let them experience some frustration and pain, to grow into the people we want them to be.

Today I feel like I am floundering away on my belly, more stuck then I've been in a long long time. I am crying, and more than a bit angry at the world. And I'm asking you God, again! to pick me up. And so I think, are you there God at all? Yes, I have faith that you are there, but why won't you change things now?

Me: Rescue Me.
God via the Woods: Not yet. You are growing stronger. You need this to crawl into the next stage.

Me (later): Okay. But I'm going to be mad sometimes and I'm going to keep asking you to pick me up.