"Mommy, I need you."

This past Sunday we had a special worship service.  Our church is located down town on “the island” where we live and this past weekend our town had their annual art show.  They block off streets and had all kinds of vendors and such selling their goodies.  We have a pretty small “church” parking lot and most people park away from the church a block or so and walk.  With the art show going on you need to get up at 6 am to get a parking spot.  It really gets packed out.  Having service like we usually do would have been difficult, and we have done it in the past, but with our church growing like it is we have recently purchased property for a second campus.  We are not building out there yet, but it’s a beautiful spot.  Many volunteers have worked hard to clear the property.  There is a lake, they have set up a prayer garden, picnic tables and a swing, even a horse shoe pit.  We have used the property for our Easter sunrise service, our bible study group has had a picnic there, this past Halloween they had a bash there for the community, and this past Sunday we had a combined church service out there.  Tent, chairs, stage, sound equipment, choir, praise team, the works!  We had a special guest come and share his testimony, and we had a BBQ chicken lunch afterwards.  Temperature was high 70’s, low 80’s, and we had clear sunny day.  The kids had bounce houses set up, the adults played horse shoes, corn hole, fished, walked the property, oh…and they had tractor rides to tour the property too.  It was really a beautiful time.  Gem was really a good girl while the service was going on as well.  I was a really proud Mama, but had everyone seen us before we got there…

You know the drill, Sunday morning, getting ready for church, and you have a 2 year old who doesn’t want to get ready, or maybe a husband who doesn’t want to get ready, whatever your situation is.  Gem was not acting like much of a gem while we are getting ready to go.  It is so hard to not get angry when you’re trying to dress a 2 year old who is whining, and running around saying, “I don’t want to!”  I was really losing my calm while getting her dressed.  I would get one arm done with sunscreen and she would run off, I’d get her back and get the other arm done, and she’d run off again.  She would want to get dressed on the floor, and well…this Mama is getting to be very pregnant…and I still have till May 25^th to go!  There was no way I was getting on the floor, I’d never get up.  Fixing her hair is always a fight, if it’s not a fight I write it on the calendar.  She has such a sensitive head that I don't  even have touch her with the hair brush and she’s already saying, “Mommy that hurts!”  Anyway, finally getting her sun screened, dressed, and hair up I needed a break.  I was short with her several times saying things like, “Gem, you’re stalling!” Or “You’re not listening!”  Or “Now, Gem!” and it took some restraint not to just get all out mad and yell at her.  Setting her on the bed with her milk to drink I went in the other room to fix my coffee, and pack our bag.  (Note to self…have coffee before getting her dressed next time.)  I’m in the other room maybe 3 minutes and she’s already calling my name, “Mommy!”... “Mommy!”   I take a deep breath, take a long drink of coffee, and go into the room, “Yes, baby.”  The next thing that came out of her mouth stopped me in my tracks, she looked up at me and said, “Mommy, I need you.”  Wow!  That little turkey.  Ever want to get a Mama to tears look up at her and tell her you need her, or at least that worked for me.  I sat down with her, kissed her forehead, and cheeks, and told her I needed her too.  We snuggled for a few minutes, and then I finished getting things ready.

What a picture of how I act with the Lord.  I’m running, I’m not listening, and I’m wanting to play instead.  Then I turn right around and tell Him, “Lord, I need you.”  How wonderful it is to have a Father in heaven that takes us in and comforts us even after we have misbehaved.  The Lord has given me this little misbehaving Gem, and I look forward to more moments like this where I can show her that no matter what I love her.