Four weeks have passed since the birth of our second daughter. Time flies when you don’t get much sleep! (insert laughing emoji)
In these first four beautiful yet intense weeks, my mind spins with stories and illustrates of God’s magnificent character.
One of my first stories happened a week and a half in. I was feeling brave, strong and ready to conquer the world as a mommy of 2. “I got this!” I thought to myself. “I can do it!”
Packing the newborn and the toddler in the van I headed to our local grocery store to do a little shopping. In and out. Simple.
In the parking lot, I put my sleeping baby in the back of the cart and my toddler in the front. Just in case I slip the infant carrier in the cart as well. Entering the store the blasting cold air and the obnoxiously loud fan awoke the newborn instantly.
“Okay, she’s awake but maybe as I continue to rush about the store she will just magically fall back asleep. Yes, of course!”
Walking down the first aisle I quickly realize my thoughts are a fantasy. She is not going back to sleep…enter plan B. The infant carrier. In the frozen food aisle next to the toaster waffles and juice concentrate, I strap my baby to my chest. Her voice escalating and spreading down the aisle I am experiencing the awkward glances. Smiling I walk on.
However, plan B is not working. I already have several items in the cart so I can’t just walk out. Making my way to the service desk I ask to leave my cart while I run out to the van to feed the distressed baby. The lady smiles and says, “Actually we have a family restroom right over there.”
“Okay, perfect.”
Well, not so perfect. In the restroom, I find there is no place to sit except the toilet. I am not nursing my baby on a toilet seat. So I stand. Holding the newborn in my arms I feed her for what feels like hours. I did not think this through. I am standing in a public restroom feeding a baby and I have a toddler becoming quickly bored.
Yikes! A bored toddler in a bathroom. I have never said the words, “don’t touch!” so many times in my life. Her little fingers just can’t resist. The walls, the tampon dispenser, the changing table…on and on. By God’s grace, I was able to keep her from touching the toilet!
As the baby is still struggling not satisfied. I begin to pray out loud. I pray for patience, endurance, and simply the ability to keep it together. Hormones stirring and my body aching still from the process of birth. I pray and pray.
As I finish with “Amen” my sweet toddler says, “food?”
There I am in a public bathroom with a teaching moment for my 2-year-old about our communication with God. I share with her little, growing heart about how we can talk to God anytime. He is always listening, always available. We can talk to Him when we are happy or sad. When we need help and when we just want to say thank You. Praying and talking with God isn’t just for mealtime. In her serious voice, she said, “okay.” And proceeds to take “food” from the tampon dispenser and pretend to eat.
In that moment something inside me switched. I no longer felt like the frantic, stressed out mommy. I felt a peace. A strength that I was not alone.
And I truly wasn’t. We walked out of the restroom and finished our shopping. At the far end of the store, I realized I did not have my wallet. Now, what are the chances that my wallet would still be in that bathroom? I was unsure however I knew God was protecting us. Walking back inside an employee made some comment about me going in again and I told her I forgot my wallet but there it was right where I had set it down. She proclaimed, “Girl! You are lucky!”
Smiling. Inside I knew something far greater, more amazing was happening than luck. No, luck needed here. It was my good, good Father!
1 John 5:14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. NKJV
Psalm 145:18a The Lord is near to all who call on him, ESV
Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. NIV
