Sunday, January 11, 2009

Weaning...A Spiritual State

So, Wade has begun to lose interest in nursing. Many pediatricians reccommend weaning babies around a year so I'm glad that he's kinda beginning to do it himself.

Several years ago I met a man who began his prayer time by reciting this psalm to the Lord:

Lord, my heart is not proud;
my eyes are not haughty.
I don't concern myself with matters too great
or too awesome for me to grasp.
Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself,
like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother's milk.
Yes, like a weaned child is my sould within me.
O Israel, put your hope in the Lord-now and always
Psalm 131

I adopted the practice and have been so blessed to start my day putting my heart in the right place before God. The second part about not concerning myself with matters too great seems to constantly apply and enables me to set aside my worries. And I've always enjoyed the picture of quieting and calming myself like a weaned child. But only now am I beginning to understand it.

See for many months Wade was totally dependent on me for his nutrition. And he knew that. They say babies can smell their mother's milk. I believe it. So many times he would demand to nurse and there was no talking him out of it.

But more often than not, now Wade is content to rest in my arms (well, when he's not exploring). After naptime he loves to just sit in my lap and snuggle for 10 or 15 minutes. Amazing...4 months ago he would not be satisfied just sitting with me. He would want something from me.

And now I'm starting to get it. Like a weaned child who no longer cries for it's mother's milk. That is the position God desires us to take before him. Not coming to him to ask for things (not that he doesn't command us to do that)but being satisfied to just be with Him. Just to be in His presence.

Anyway, I continue to be amazed at what God teaches me through parenthood.

On the homefront...

-Wade is pulling up constantly. Did I mention that before? Anyway, it started Friday. We're hoping that he'll speedily begin cruising and maybe walk within the next couple months.

-We were in a car accident on Saturday. Everyone is totally fine. Except our car. We find out the estimated damages tomorrow.

-Tomorrow is Day 1 of the countdown to (hopefully) a new computer. Read the last post if that doesn't make sense to you.

1 comment:

Jill said...

Thanks for the image, Robin. What a true and perfect thought. Praise God for all the amazing things he teaches us in the "everyday tasks" of parenthood.