Precious Girl, Precious Savior

Today has been like every other day- mostly happy and full of Rebekah energy! I felt bad this morning because I fell back asleep after I heard Little One peeping at 6:30 and didn't wake up until 7:45! Yikes! She couldn't have been too mad or I would have heard her, I promise! However, I did miss that sound effects of her playing so vigorously with the adjacent wood blinds that they flew into the lamp (that I apparently left on last night), which jettisoned to the floor! Upon my arrival, Rebekah was just happy to see me and Josh subsequently assured me that she has indeed fallen back asleep for at least part of that time (he left early for work). Anyway, I am amazed at their forgiveness/forgetness capacity as she just looked up at me and said "Up!" meaning, please pick me up! We had a normal morning routine and I even rested a bit while she contentedly amused herself in her pack 'n play. After that, we went to the grocery store. (Evidently, Josh has been almost out of chocolate ice cream and that will never do, plus I had a hankering for some donut-holes I spied in the store!) As we were leaving the store and I was about to grab my little bundle out of the cart, she simply grinned at me, held up her arms, and said "Mama" in the most contented sigh I have ever heard- truly. I quickly grabbed her and assumed I would be forcing an unwanted snuggle, but to my shock and delight, she snuggled right in, wrapped her arms around my neck, and said "Mama" again and again, like I was a precious treasure to her. Honestly, I was tired and in task-mode but it was just what I needed! I held her for a while and she never let go. She just rested her head against my shoulder like it was just the perfect spot for viewing the world. (What would be better than getting to experience life and its excitement while wrapped in a totally secure, totally trust-worthy (scratch this morning's wake-up routine) embrace?) I just loved that it was I who represented that happy place for her. I finally set her in her car seat, but before I buckled her little smiley self in, she reached out for me again, as if to say "I could use some more of that" and I happily obliged. I picked her right back up and we repeated the exact same scene...standing next to the minivan with 2 open doors, blocking the space next to me, in the middle of the grocery store parking lot.

I mentioned that I am task-oriented. I am also a lover of routine and predictability. My desire is to rear Rebekah in such a way as to instill in her safety and love, as well as obedience and good discipline so that she is a blessing to others as well as to herself. We spend much of our day fighting over who will win in the "Don't touch your hair with those peanut butter hands!" battles and the like that I sometimes only see the little willful, determined, spunky side of my girl. Today I saw something new- a devoted, loyal, faithful, loving little pal who thought I was the best mama ever. It was a precious 10 minutes and I have done a lot of reflecting since then in no particular order.

1. I am thankful to the Lord that He is never too busy to love His children.
2. I pray to have the wisdom to drop tasks to love on my children anytime.
3. I pray that I, like Rebekah, will look upon Christ with adoring eyes and show my devotion
to Him for His sacrifice by resting in Him contentedly.
4. I pray to have great insight into my children so that I see them not as reflections of Josh and
me, but of their Creator, Who did indeed create them in His very own image.
5. I am thankful to the Lord for seeing Christ's righteousness in me and past my sin, for seeing
me as whole in Christ, yet woefully imperfect myself and still choosing to love me.