God works in mysterious ways...even through our children!
You know, we all know that God works in His own timing and that God knows what to say and how to say things to you in His own way. I will be honest...I have been dreading this trip to Minnesota. Carter really has a lot to go through and countless numbers of doctors appointments! To be honest, this almost seems just as bad as when he had the work up week to transplant. Its just a lot, especially for a four year old. Carter has really enjoyed being home and when we had to go back to Minnesota in October, he didnt like that. He really missed home and I think he thought he wouldnt be able to come back home. That he would have to stay there again for a while. We havent told him yet that we are going back in two weeks, because of that. Because we dont want him to stress when we still have some time. But, I have been praying that Carter would get some sense of peace and that God would give me the wisdom and strength to be able to explain this trip to Carter the best that I can.
With this being said, every night for the past four and a half years, I have gotten Carter to sleep. We do our usual talking about the day, what we will do tomorrow and we pray. We pray for the ones we love, the sick people and all the animals. We pray for his real and stuffed animal as well as the people he wants to specifically pray for. When we were in Minnesota, we kept telling Carter that "Jesus was going to heal him" and that "Jesus will make you feel better" and that "God was going to show the doctors and nurses how to take care of you". Most of the time, we felt like Carter wasnt really listening or didnt really understand, because he would never say anything.
When the chemo started and Carter was feeling really bad in the hospital, Carter would look at me and say "mommy, make it go away! I feel so yucky!" and as much as it broke my heart I knew that I could not make that feeling go away, but I would tell him that "Jesus was going to make you feel better". I believed and hoped and I wanted him to also. So over the next several months and even up until recently, he would tell Josh and I that "Jesus healed him" and "Jesus made him feel better when he was in the hospital".
Tonight as I was putting Carter to bed, he looked at me and said "Mommy, who is in your heart?" I said puzzled, because I didnt know where he was going with this, "well, I love you, and Ethan and Daddy. You are all in my heart." He waited a second and he said "No, mommy, who is IN YOUR heart?" I waited a second and I said "well, Carter, who is in your heart?" He said "God". I said "yes, he is baby. He is in my heart too. He lives there." Carter said "yes, mommy, he does. And did you know that God made the sun?" I said "yes, you are right, Carter, he did." Then, Carter proceeded to tell me that "And God made the sandbox and the sand and everything!" I giggled but knew how right he was and for a good 15 or 20 minutes, my 4 year old son and I talked about all the things God made and how he loves us. At the end of the conversation, he said "God listens to us when we talk, mommy." I told him "yes, that is what we do when we pray. We talk to God." Carter nodded his head and then we prayed together. Right before he fell asleep, I asked him who had been talking to him lately about all of this, he looks at me and says "Daddy did." and then he waited a minute and said "and Mommy, you told me that Jesus would make me feel better, and He did."
This was the best conversation I have ever had with my child! It was so rewarding that this whole time, Josh and I have tried to instill in Carter that God is real and that God heals and loves and listens to us. Yet, we never thought he was really listening! I am so proud to not only have a son that loves Jesus and sees how God has healed him, but also to have such an amazing husband, that talks to our son about God!
God has blessed our family beyond belief! We have two beautiful sons that have enriched our lives more than we could ever have imagined! My advice to anyone who has children...you may not think that your children are listening to you or that they hear what you say or see what you do, but they know a lot more than you think! They see the good you do, they see the bad you do, they hear the words that come our of your mouth-good and bad, and they follow in your footsteps, even when you may or may not want them to---do right by your kids! Give them a role model that we should all strive to be like---Give them Jesus! Show them the power of God and how with God, they can be and do amazing things in their lives!
With this being said, every night for the past four and a half years, I have gotten Carter to sleep. We do our usual talking about the day, what we will do tomorrow and we pray. We pray for the ones we love, the sick people and all the animals. We pray for his real and stuffed animal as well as the people he wants to specifically pray for. When we were in Minnesota, we kept telling Carter that "Jesus was going to heal him" and that "Jesus will make you feel better" and that "God was going to show the doctors and nurses how to take care of you". Most of the time, we felt like Carter wasnt really listening or didnt really understand, because he would never say anything.
When the chemo started and Carter was feeling really bad in the hospital, Carter would look at me and say "mommy, make it go away! I feel so yucky!" and as much as it broke my heart I knew that I could not make that feeling go away, but I would tell him that "Jesus was going to make you feel better". I believed and hoped and I wanted him to also. So over the next several months and even up until recently, he would tell Josh and I that "Jesus healed him" and "Jesus made him feel better when he was in the hospital".
Tonight as I was putting Carter to bed, he looked at me and said "Mommy, who is in your heart?" I said puzzled, because I didnt know where he was going with this, "well, I love you, and Ethan and Daddy. You are all in my heart." He waited a second and he said "No, mommy, who is IN YOUR heart?" I waited a second and I said "well, Carter, who is in your heart?" He said "God". I said "yes, he is baby. He is in my heart too. He lives there." Carter said "yes, mommy, he does. And did you know that God made the sun?" I said "yes, you are right, Carter, he did." Then, Carter proceeded to tell me that "And God made the sandbox and the sand and everything!" I giggled but knew how right he was and for a good 15 or 20 minutes, my 4 year old son and I talked about all the things God made and how he loves us. At the end of the conversation, he said "God listens to us when we talk, mommy." I told him "yes, that is what we do when we pray. We talk to God." Carter nodded his head and then we prayed together. Right before he fell asleep, I asked him who had been talking to him lately about all of this, he looks at me and says "Daddy did." and then he waited a minute and said "and Mommy, you told me that Jesus would make me feel better, and He did."
This was the best conversation I have ever had with my child! It was so rewarding that this whole time, Josh and I have tried to instill in Carter that God is real and that God heals and loves and listens to us. Yet, we never thought he was really listening! I am so proud to not only have a son that loves Jesus and sees how God has healed him, but also to have such an amazing husband, that talks to our son about God!
God has blessed our family beyond belief! We have two beautiful sons that have enriched our lives more than we could ever have imagined! My advice to anyone who has children...you may not think that your children are listening to you or that they hear what you say or see what you do, but they know a lot more than you think! They see the good you do, they see the bad you do, they hear the words that come our of your mouth-good and bad, and they follow in your footsteps, even when you may or may not want them to---do right by your kids! Give them a role model that we should all strive to be like---Give them Jesus! Show them the power of God and how with God, they can be and do amazing things in their lives!
Comments