I was cleaning the bathrooms one day last week as I often do (okay, as I occasionally do), and Christian came in to see what I was up to. My mind was elsewhere and I gave him a quick rundown, wishing, honestly, that he’d just leave me alone. I wanted to get this done and preferably without the help of a three-year-old.  But he stayed.

IMG_20160207_191833

“What are you doing?” he asked (several times).

“Cleaning the sink.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s dirty.”

“Why are you wearing that?” He pointed to the rubber glove on my hand.

“It keeps my hands clean while I have to touch yucky things.”

“Why do you only have one?” (A valid question.)

“Because I can’t find the other one. And I mainly use this one hand to clean anyway, so I don’t need one on my other hand as much.”

I grabbed the toilet brush and set to work with my right, gloved hand. My mind on the task, it was several moments before I noticed something.

Christian was still standing beside me, watching, and holding my other hand.

So there we were. Me bent over the toilet with a scrub brush, and Christian, inches away, still, quiet, and with his chubby little hand tucked in mine.

I guess he really did just want to be with me. 

And I had tried to shoo him away.

It will surely be one of my favorite memories of him ever. (And I may never wear both rubber gloves again.)

~

It’s hardly radical, but I gave up all social media scrolling for the last few weeks. There’s nothing wrong with social media—I like a good cat video just as much as the next gal—but I needed to do an experiment.

The thing was, I was feeling muddled in my faith. I was discontent and uncertain and unsatisfied, and I couldn’t discern the way I should go. And I wondered, what would happen if I replaced all those status updates with scripture? What would it be like if I fed myself with the eternal Word every time I was tempted to snack on the fluff of Facebook?

I like Facebook, and I like all you people who hang out there, but I needed a break and I needed to know. Would God speak to me if I sought after him? Seriously. Would he?

Sometimes a girl just needs to know.

~

Those weeks are over, and I heard God.

I won’t go into it all because, truthfully, some of it wasn’t pleasant and most of it was very personal. God had things to say, and, for once, I had nothing to distract me from listening. There was junk I needed to deal with and my time away brought it to the surface. Some of it hurt, yes, but, thankfully, that wasn’t all.

God showed me something else during that time, something sweeter than I expected. Something delightful.

God, the Almighty, wants to be with me.

As a matter of fact, He enjoys being with me.

Crazy, huh?

 Sure, he’s okay with me asking questions, and (praise Him) He even welcomes the times when I pummel him with prayer requests, but, sometimes (or maybe always) He just wants to be together.

God is a good parent, and, just like me, he longs for the times when his children will tuck their hand in His and just watch while He works, quiet and still.

~

“I’m free,” says Christian. Meaning, he’s three years old. And it’s my favorite age so far.

This kid.

This kid.

He gives perfect hugs, and swordfights the bad guys, and reminds Jesus in his prayers at night that “we do not hit” and, oh my heavens, he holds my hand.

He delights in me, and I am better for it.

God delights in us, and we can be—we should be—better for it.

Do not lose heart and please do not miss out, friends.

Turn to Him in quiet. Stand there and listen. Hold out your hand and be together.

You will not regret time spent with God. Never, ever, ever.

 “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).

IMG_20160216_082604

And let’s do this too while we’re at it…a giveaway!

 God Bless Our Country is out, and I have one copy that needs to find a new home. How ‘bout yours?

Leave a comment below, let’s say, a favorite memory of your kids. (Or, if you don’t have kids, a favorite memory of a sibling or a friend’s kids or from when you were a kid or something else entirely…) and you’ll be entered to win. Subscribe to my newsletter or share this post on Facebook and you’ll be entered twice. (Just be sure to tell me you did.) Winner will be announced next week!