The universe aligned itself last Friday night and I found myself in the house alone.
My mother-in-law had offered to take the girls over night. At 4pm she showed up and collected them with a sleeping bag under each arm. They were off to watch movies, do crafts and eat hot dogs.
Chad had a late night project to complete for work so he wasn’t expected home until near midnight.
Friday night: kids gone and husband gone.
What should I do?
Watch a friend’s baby, of course. I’d offered earlier in the week when I figured out that I’d be on my own for the evening.
Five month old Jessie showed up at my door at 5pm with her parents in tow. A stroller, bottles, diaper bag, toys and bibs reminded me that it’s been nearly 4 years since I’d been alone with a baby. Me and a baby. Alone for 3 hours.
I can TOTALLY do this. It hasn’t been so long since I juggled a baby on my hip as I made dinner, folded clothes and sent an email.
After Jessie’s bottle, we spent most of the evening in the rocking chair that has seen little use since I used to rock a fussy 12 month old Naomi to sleep 3 and a half years ago. I watched Netflix documentaries and Jessie chewed on a toy.
Then she grabbed my finger in true infant style: whole hand around my whole finger. She wrapped it tightly and held on as she nearly gnawed a hole in the corner of a toddler board book.
She didn’t know me. We’d only met an hour earlier. Yet here she sat, completely happy and completely trusting me.I could have been a bad person or at the least a neglectful babysitter. But she held my hand and relaxed her little body into mine.
Complete trust. Complete unawareness of the the evil world of possible danger in her future.
She trusted me because her parents trusted me. Her whole world of safety was based on her parents wisdom and their assessment of my capability as a babysitter. They assumed that I would be careful, loving and watchful {which I was} and that Jessie would be safe with me. Because of the trust of her parents, Jessie felt safe.
She wrapped her baby-girl fingers around my finger and cooed so loud our dog followed suit.
The same is true with God.
He has our days {and our evenings} planned. He knows, with wisdom, our current circumstances and our futures. He is a careful parent who plans for our care-taking and places us in situations that are under His control. Our trust is based on Him and His love for us.
And we, like an infant grasping the hand of an adult, can rest in that.
Do you have trouble resting in Him?
A total precious blog, Sarah!
How do I rest in the Lord? ….by the fact that I establish a firm foundation by appreciation for my hubby than by criticism. I believe in God and trust Him with my whole heart that I totally confide in my Sweetheart, pray with him and for him, cooperate with him, shield him, (never take sides against him), cheer him, and be patient when things go wrong. My life feels so content when everything is in order and I know I have no trouble RESTING in the Lord!
that is such a great reminder to help keep our hearts and our marriages healthy! thanks, carol. =)
Wonderful post Sarah!!!
I’m learning more and more everyday to rest in Him.
What really resonated with your post is this…
“He has our days {and our evenings} planned. He knows, with wisdom, our current circumstances and our futures. He is a careful parent who plans for our care-taking and places us in situations that are under His control.”
My fiance, after having faced job termination – being in a new job, more stressful than the old one – job opportunities passing him by – he is having trouble resting in the Lord. He doesn’t know what his future holds – he doesn’t know why the job opportunities he comes across aren’t working out.
How do I help him begin to rest in the Lord????
i know that uncertain futures can seem really scary, but there is an aspect of adventure and excitement too. I think that you can help him by being an example of peace in a difficult situation and by reminding him that jesus is in control.
I will pray for you guys today. thank you so much for the comment. =)
What an example or unselfishness, Sarah. You had an evening alone and chose to serve someone else in their need as husband and wife.
I, too, have just settled into trusting the Lord about some particular issues in my life. It hasn’t been easy, but through it all I hear His still, small voice saying – Trust Me, Debi. I am faithful, for I cannot be any other way. It is who I Am.
Thank you for this post. It made me stop and realize that I am resting today. Amazing!
thanks debi. i had a lot of fun with her. =)
What a wonderful evening. And so great that you got to give those parents some time to themselves. As an adult, I think it’s harder to trust. It’s like we know too much. We get hurt, deceived, etc. But God is always good. I can certainly rest in that. Oh, and what a sweet baby that is–adorable face
i agree. we lose a lot of our natural trust as we age. in some ways that is really sad.
What an amazing picture of faith and trust. Right now I am holding tight allowing myself to just trust in the Lord and rest in the peace that he is working in ways I cannot see. Some days I feel such a peace with my circumstance,I just know He has it all under control. But there are days when fear and doubt sneak in and I find myself looking at the phsyical world and feeling like there is no way things can turn around. It;s a struggle I am getting better at handling as I draw nearer to Him.
Thank for this post and remindnig me that he is my Father and he cares for me and watches over me, even in my darkest hour, when all hope seems to be lost.
thanks michelle. i fear and doubt too. i think we all do. but so many of us don’t want to admit it. thank you for being so transparent.
I had my first “official” mammogram just last week. Today I needed to reschedule another mammogram due to comparisons with my baseline 5 years earlier. Although, the second trip to the breast center is precautionary, I am having trouble resting in God. My anxiety is getting the better of me.
wow julie. i will pray for you today as you battle anxiety.
Totally blown away with this post. I so needed this post!
i’m so glad heidi. =)
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thank you! wow. i appreciate that!
The older we get, the harder it is to trust. I guess that’s why we’re supposed to have the “faith of a child”. That would be nice, wouldn’t it…
SO true…
such a great reminder!! it’s amazing how much i’m learning through this precious girl, and trusting God so much better as I see how she trusts and relies on me for everything. God knows what he’s doing when he gives us babies!!
I’m glad you had a great time with her…she couldn’t quit talking about her friend Sarah
Love you girl!
AWWW! it was a serious pleasure and honor. =)
I am going through a season where I feel more alone than I have ever felt. My insides feel like an someone took one of those old fashioned egg beaters to them…and resting in God is something I fail at daily. I needed this post. I needed to have someone remind me that God has it under control. He has what totally feels out of control, under control. Thank you, from the bottom of my lonely, broken heart…thank you for writing this post.
i’m so sorry tiffany.
Lord I ask that you surround Tiffany with your peace and love and strength today. Uphold her as she feels weak. Help her to see the healing that is coming and that you hold her future in your hands. Send people to her who will love her and help her to feel like she is not alone.
thanks for this post – it’s the reminder i needed today. He’s got plans, i just need to quit worrying and trust!
… some days I do. this morning was one of those times where I lost it. Thanks for the great reminder that I just need to trust in Him.
I need to, not only for myself but for my children as well. I think that sometimes I find myself struggling because I don’t have parents who whole heartedly believe and live daily in truth. It is something to work on for sure. Thanks.
Resting in our Heavenly Father would be the only feeling that I can compare with the feeling of a little hand holding a big finger….Both are undescribable, really.
Love this post, Sarah! Thank You! Prayers for you, and your reader’s.
Thank you Reese.
I love this! God is our loving parent and we can rest in His arms with total peace. Beautiful
i know. i find myself coming back to the parent/child analogy so often.
sarah: this summer has really opened up my eyes to the fact that i struggle a lot with trust. last night i even dialogued with God about this and have really been seeking answers regarding how to know who to trust with my heart. i have been so wounded by “friends” and it has become harder to be open and real with people. your timely words are such a blessing to me. thank you for allowing God to share this story through you!
wow, thank you charis. i’m sorry that you’ve been wounded. it’s a hard place to be. but i’m so glad that you;ve been able to work through some of it.
Thanks for that message. I am going through some things that I need to do some finger holding with God. Some times it is hard to hang on and not try to take over. It is hard to rely on God’s timing, and trust that He has everything under control.
Also, thank you for taking good care of my sweet little grand daughter.
oh hi Mimi!! my girls have a “mimi” too.
Jessi was such fun to watch =) reminded me of when my girls were a little smaller.
Thank you Sarah, for sharing your evening with Jessie, and now with us . . .talking about trusting Him and His care and control. That He’s not going to leave me in a place that is outside of that. I’m in a difficult place, a unique place, a place where there is much wrong and it hurts daily. This morning, He spoke to me from Matthew 3:15 . . .when He told John to permit it to be so. Then you post this . . .trust Him and rest. God bless you! deb
This is the perfect post for me today as I am having mommy anxiety about how I care for my LO. Good timing, as always =)
C
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