Midnight. I was up until Midnight last night with my oldest son Brett. Brett is what I would consider a "worrier". That child...worries about everything. Here recently we've been having these nights when we go to bed as usual and then he comes up stairs two and three times to let us know he can't sleep. We've tried extending the tv time...didn't help. We've tried having him read until his eyes get tired...helped a little. But last night, it was midnight. I woke up to him yelling my name...and he was frustrated. I stood at the top of the stairs and asked him what he was worried about...his response..."I don't know." Brett is very literal. When he describes something, it takes a while for us to understand what he is saying. When Tanner has a sore throat...he simply says, my throat hurts. When Brett has a sore throat...he says when he swallows, it feels like there is a lump in there and he can't get his spit past it without it hurting. Geez. He just has a hard time describing things...but we now know this and we have learned to be patient and wait for his description of whatever is bothering him. Last night, he described his worry as..."my lungs and heart are so intense." What? Okay Brett...I'll be right there.
After we tried everything, I just climbed in bed with him. I am sure I was asleep before him, but I could feel him relax as I was laying there. He just needed to know I was there. Now I am not crazy enough to think that my presence is going to calm the waters for him as he grows...but I am trying to figure out a way to teach him that God will always be there. He has trouble wrapping his mind around why he has to wear a coat when it is 32 degrees outside...so the "God is with you always" part could be hard to explain.
I once heard someone say Let Go and Let God. I need for Brett to understand the importance of those words...Let Go and Let God. Let him take the worry. Let him take the fear. Know that the outcome of any situation is going to come...but because of the decisions you've made. And if he is in your heart, you'll make the right choices. Of course there will be times when we stumble...but trust God enough to know that even when we trip and fall, he'll be there to pick us up and help us get back on the path. Let Go of the things that paralyze you with fear and let God handle it. Because he will anyway. He'll be taking care of all the test anxiety...the 'girl' problems...the baseball cuts...the peer pressure...if you allow him, he'll take care of all of those things for you.
My prayer today is for God to help me put into words the things I need to teach my boys. Tanner's lessons will be something totally different...but the underlying theme is the same. God is there.
And I'll climb into bed with them when they need to know that someone is there...because I am their Mom and that is what we do. I read in a blog yesterday that God can't be everywhere all the time so he created Mothers. I will gladly be the go between for Brett and God. I just want him to know that it isn't me that is calming the storm inside his heart...it is and forever will be God.
Have a blessed day!
Amy
4 comments:
Oh Amy, how I wish that I had your blog to read when I was raising Tyler and Jordan. Sometimes I feel like I did not prepare them for their future as well as I should have. Maybe Emma and Carsen are my second chance from God :-). Thank you so much for your beautiful words everyday, they help in ways that you will never know.
Love you......Sheri
I'm with you girl...Mason is a worrier. He has such anxiety that it sometimes paralyzes him. I hate it for him,but I can relate. I know what it is to let that anxiety overwhelm you. And I think that as moms, we just have to honestly share our experiences with our kids so that they know it's a natural human response. It's ok...God loves us no matter what. His LOVE can do anything...no mountain is too high for Him. No problem is to big...no worry is to immense. We have always told our kids to just pray it out...if worry starts to creep in, say a prayer. Take that thought captive, know in your heart and feel in your heart that God is in control. God is abstract for our kids sometimes, but you are right...we as Moms are pretty concrete. I remind my kids a lot that as much as I am crazy in love over them, it's just a fraction of how God feels. I think it helps put it into perspective for them...
Hangeth Thou In There, Oh Baby!! Brett is a lucky kid to have you for a mom.
Melissa
Oh Amy!! I have an almost 10 year old daughter that is exactly like Brett! From the long explanation's to the worrying!
In fact, I was up at the same time with Bailey last night as you were with Brett...I have to admit after the third night in a row of getting up and trying to calm her that I was a little less than comforting!! Thank you for your words of encouragement!! It is amazing the feeling of comfort they feel the second you get in bed and rub their back or just hold hands and pray that God will give them strength...and your right, it's not me that comforts, it is HIM!!!
Thank goodness for God's grace and forgiveness, because the second Bailey comes home today I am going to tell her how much I love her and how much God loves her and how much I messed up last night by being frustrated w/ her and that no matter what, I am there!!! And I will gladly be the go between for her and God!!! Thank goodness God is there to calm their storms!
Your words are so very encouraging....I thank you for writing from your heart!!! Your the best!!!!!
Kelly
Amy,
In the book I am reading...Tears and Healing, the author said that he realized that he needed to "Let Go and Let God." I thought about that for a split second when I skimmed past it in my book. And not until you explained it in this blog did I really think about it. Thank you for explaining it for me. And poor Brett...are you sure he isn't mine?? I was the same way as a child :(
Kristi
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