Lessons from a Child: Time with God
There is this local Catholic Church that we pass every morning on our way to daycare. Whenever we pass it, we talk about how Jesus is there! When Clara was younger I would “quiz” her and ask “where does Jesus live?” She’d say, “in the tatternapple!” “Good! Where else does he live?” To which she would answer, “In my heart.”
(Lately she has decided to be silly, so when I ask where he lives she answers “in my belly” and then laughs at herself hysterically! So, I use it to teach her about the Eucharist that one day he will also be in her belly! Haha!)
Anyways, there was one day where we were out running errands. It was one of those days where we have only a couple hours and a lot of stops to make… and with kids unloading and re-loading… the stops take forever! Well, we passed this same local Catholic Church and Clara asked if we could see Jesus. I was like… “yea, he’s right there. Look out your window.” But she wanted to actually GO to Church to see Him. In my rush I thought, maybe I can just say yes, and she will likely forget so naturally I will forget and we will get home in time—so I answered “Sure, we can later.”
Well… She did not forget. After Every. Single. Stop… she asked, “are we going to Jesus now? Mom, PLEASE… I REEEAAALLLLY want to go see Jesus!”
So, tired after a lot of errands, stubborn, and not wanting to unload/re-load kids AGAIN… we passed this Church on the way home. I pulled into the parking lot in front of the Church and said, “We aren’t going to get out, but let’s look up at the cross and we can say a prayer.” Her prayer was sweet and simple and then we pulled out of the parking lot to head home. But from the backseat, I heard Clara say—under her breath to no one in particular—"*sigh* I really missed him.”
After those innocent simple beautiful words from her mouth… I cried quietly in the front seat without her knowing. Because God, through the faith of my daughter, said to me—You get lost in your busyness and forget about me. You drive past me every day. You rush to get home. But all she needed was 3 minutes with me today… because she missed me.
Those 3 minutes out of our day—that I was stubborn and hesitant to take which took no effort on my part—left me, and hopefully left Clara, with an invaluable life lesson from God; that even in midst of each day’s rush, it is so important to pause and spend time with God. ESPECIALLY when we miss him!
