Lucy

Lucy, 6 months, is not a napper. I am not used to this. I joke that the reason that I have five children so close together is that I have good sleepers!

She does okay at night (which I'm certainly not complaining about!), but the days go quickly from happy baby to fussy baby to cat nap before continuing the cycle again a few hours (or less) later. I can't help but think (and know!) that she (and I!) would be much happier if she would sleep for more than 15-20 minutes at a time. But, this is not a post about techniques to get your baby to sleep longer...been there, tried that!

This is a post about something I read last night when we finally settled down for the evening (again, she goes to bed early and sleeps long!). I was exhausted and not feeling very holy or prayerful, but I decided to pick up a book of quotes by Mother Teresa. It was either this or watch mindless TV. I'm not going to lie, the TV often wins...but I'm grateful that it did not this time!

A few quotes in, I read, "Hungry for love, He looks at you."

The rest of the quote was equally beautiful, but this line hit me hard.

If I am carrying Lucy around, she is quite content. But, there are times when she is fed and changed...and I really need two hands (it is just me here from 9-6). So, down she goes (I know she'll be so happier in a month when she can sit up and pick up some toys!).

The cries start. And...those eyes. She looks at me so intensely, silently begging me to pick her up again. To love her.

I do love her and I sympathize with her, but oh...how much easier and faster to fold laundry with two hands! Depending on how grace-filled I feel at the moment, I either rush through whatever I'm doing to get back to her, or I just pick her up and do everything awkwardly and slowly.

We all remember that "whatever we do for the least of these, we do for Him." But, I tend to forget that my children are among "them." It is so easy for me to think of the homeless, hungry, and people in war torn countries as "them", but there is this little baby Jesus on my living room floor, hungry for love and looking at me.

I felt resolved to do better. I thought about how my chores would just have to be done more slowly and awkwardly...at least for another month! An excuse to make simple dinners, if you will.

Thanks for the reminder, Mother Teresa. Pray for me.

The last quote I read was this: "If you offend anyone...even a small child...ask forgiveness before going to bed." Woops...that one had to wait until morning...not about to wake those good sleepers :).

Copyright 2012 Trish Bolster