Butt Crack

I read a devotion yesterday titled, "Being a Mom That Matters". It really hit home for me because I know that I don't always give my all because I am so overwhelmed with all the things that need to get done throughout the day. I took their points to heart:

1. Be a mom that loves God - this is so important because Rylee will see who I depend on for strength, especially during difficult times. She will learn to also depend on God for wisdom, strength, etc by following my example.

2. Be a mom that prays continually - sometime I forget how important it is to cover my child with prayers continually. I pray coverage over her, for God to protect her from any physical, sexual or emotional abuse. These are scary times, and I want to make sure that her innocence is protected.

3. Be a mom who gives time - I've noticed that time is all she needs, whether I'm sitting next to her in a chair or I'm watching her play a computer game.

I've had some difficult nights putting her to bed because she calls me back to the room for a thousand various reasons, so I have tried a different routine that has seemed to work. After she crawls in bed, we read a book and then I pray.

Last night, while I started to pray, she began to gargle her water, thinking she was being funny. I tried to explain to her that praying is serious and that we don't play around when someone is praying. So this was our conversation:

"Rylee, it's not nice to make noises like that when someone is praying. We want to talk to Jesus and ask him to help us feel better. If you don't take the prayer seriously, then he may not answer it."

"But I want to see Jesus."

"You will one day, but right now, you can talk to him and ask him to help us start feeling better."

"But when will I see him?"

"One day you will see him when you get to Heaven."

"Up in the clouds? In Heaven?"

"Yes, but until then, you can talk to him anytime you want and pray to him."

"Like when I say a bad word?"

"Why would you say a bad word?"

"Like maybe when I say butt crack?", she says so seriously.

Shocked, I say, "Why would you say butt crack, Rylee?

"Well, sometimes James tells me that he's gonna crack me in the butt."

"Well, I suppose, you can tell Jesus that."

"Jesus, you know, got those stitches in him from those bad guys and then he got up again." (This is her translation of the crucifixion and resurrection).

"Yes, that's right."

"Good night, Mama."

If I had chosen not to give her the time, I wonder what I would've been doing in those 5 minutes that could've been more important than that...