"His hand is stretched out still"

I had a really neat learning experience getting Emery to take her nap this morning.  I have been so (SO) frustrated trying to get her to sleep.  I have (and love) to rock her to sleep each night.  She will not go to sleep on her own, and if we put her in her crib awake and leave she stands there and screams, never laying down, for endless amounts of time.

I’ve been researching a lot, asking a lot of my mom friends, and all of them said the same thing.  Let her cry.  Go in after 5, 10, 15 minutes until she falls asleep.  Well, we had a few unsuccessful nights of that.  [she neverrrrr lays down!]  Like I said, I’ve felt like a mom fail, at a loss of what to do, and have been praying nonstop.  (Just another reminder that God hears and answers our prayers!  As small as they may be!)

Today for nap time I tried the first round of this method [again.]  She stood there and screamed, as I suspected.  As I was going in after the first 5 minutes, I said a silent prayer, “Heavenly Father, please help me to know what to do!”  

I had the thought that she needs to learn how to lay down and fall asleep.  She needs guidance and success to know how to do it.  So, I laid down next to her crib and stuck my arm through the slats.  I pretended I was asleep, didn’t say anything, just left my arm there.  The most amazing experience happened over the course of the next hour.  

At first she was mad that I wasn’t getting her out.  The screaming persisted, but she eventually calmed down.  Then she played with a few of the toys I left in there.  Crying continued on and off.  Occasionally she’d come over to my hand and pull on it to try to get her out.  She bit my fingers a few times.  She fell and bonked her head, so I used my hand to pat her back.  And finally, she laid down next to my hand so I could place it on her, she cried for a few minutes and fell asleep.  

But the neatest part came as I laid there.  Suddenly into my mind came the scripture “his hand is stretched out still.”  [Isaiah 9:21]  So many things in parenting teach me about God’s love for me.  I get tiny glimpses of His true nature and moments where I get to practice becoming like Him.  I was reminded that He is faithful, consistent, and will not leave us comfortless.  He loves us enough to let us learn and sometimes that means letting us struggle.  Mostly, I was reminded that He wants so badly to help us.  He wants what’s best for us and for us to be HAPPY.  God loves His children.  

I also learned a great deal about me.  So often I am mad about a situation or a trial, and I choose to be mad a God.  Then I decide I can try to do it on my own.  Sometimes I “bite back”.  But ultimately, the comfort comes from reaching towards His hand and letting Him help us.  

[side note:  I love the picture of Jesus in the background.]