Lessons from a 3 Year Old

I want to take a moment to write this down because I don't want to forget these moments...

On Saturday morning we were rushing around a bit after taking the boys outside in the snow and now trying to do the things necessary to get out of the door and meet Andrew & Brittney and their boys, Jonah and one month old, Lincoln, at a frozen yogurt shop. They graciously offered to meet us there and pay for ours with a coupon they got for Christmas! Our morning was just "off" and there were a few things that were troubling us. Nothing huge, but enough to affect our attitudes. And we were having a hard time moving past it. I remember Matt getting something out of the coat closet and telling me that he just felt frustrated, hurt and angry.

Before I had the opportunity to respond, Matt and I hear the sweetest, softest and wisest words we've heard all morning. They floated over to us from our dining room, out of a 3 year old's lips, that were also working on a late morning snack.

"Daddy, when you feel angry, you can just ask Jesus to help you."

Wow. Tears. Humbled. We looked at each other. "Why didn't we think of that?"

I watched my loving, gentle and humbled husband softly walk over to our dining room table and take Nathan's hand in his as he sat down on the right hand side of our son. He looked into his eyes and said, "You're right, Nathan. Can you pray with me now?"

Matt prayed to God as he would a friend, asking Him to help him to not be angry.

Amazingly, as only God can do, our entire day and outlook changed. And Nathan saw his daddy's weakness and his strength all in a matter of moments.

It's funny.  Nathan and I had that conversation just a day or so before, about how we can ask Jesus for anything we need.  And we specifically talked about being angry and how God could help us to control this emotion. I kind of can't believe he heard it.   He actually did more than hear it, he applied it.   Better than I do. He teaches me so much, this child.


On the way to the yogurt shop Nathan's "favorite song" came on the radio.  One Thing Remains by Kristian Stanfill.   (If you are viewing on a mobile device, you won't be able to see the You Tube video below of the song playing.)

Here are the lyrics:  
Your love never fails, never gives up
Never runs out on me

Higher than the mountains that I face
Stronger than the power of the grave
Constant in the trial and the change
One thing remains

On and on and on and on it goes
It overwhelms and satisfies my soul
And I never, ever, have to be afraid
One thing remains

Your love never fails, never gives up
Never runs out on me

In death, in life
I'm confident and covered by the power of Your great love
My debt is paid
There's nothing that can separate my heart from Your great love

Tears flooded our eyes as we drove south on Powers listening to this song.  Listening to our son sing along.  Then I joined in.  Matt tells me he wasn't singing because he was just trying to keep from crying.  And Josh was probably be-bopping along to it too as he usually does, completely unaware of the work God was doing in our hearts in that moment.  As we cruised down the road, Matt and I both realized and experienced once again the magnitude of God's love for us and that even when we screw up, the very imperfect parents and people that we are, God's redemptive love never runs out on us.   It's so incredibly overwhelming and freeing.  And it's our son who continues to be a reminder of these truths for us.

We turned around to explain to him how God loves us even when we make mistakes and get angry (like we did that morning) or mess up, or hit our brother (as he had done earlier that day and got in trouble for it.)

He says to me, "Mommy, next time when Josh wants my airplane, I will let him."

At first Matt and I  both thought he said "I will hit him"!  So we asked him to repeat what he had just said and realized it was "I will LET him."   Wow.  Isn't that how it works?  When we allow the love and grace of God to fill our hearts and our lives we WANT to please him and let his fruits spring out of us, much more than if we are shamed into "being good". 

I had no idea what having children would teach me about God. 

Here's a video of Nathan singing his favorite song in the car.  Matt actually recorded this when I was in Denver at the mom's conference last weekend and he was taking them to Bass Pro Shops.  He claims he was able to keep the phone camera on them by using the rear view mirror so he wasn't turned around to video them!  Try not to focus on that part!