I had one of those awesome opportunities to
spend a few hours of uninterrupted Cailyn - DadDad time yesterday. Her Dad was at work and her Mom was in
school. MeeMaw was at Libbie’s Place and
Chris was at a meeting. That left just
the two of us. It was kind of confusing
to Cailyn at first. She had to gather
all the facts before she could start her day comfortably.
“Where’s Nani?” she asked when she
suddenly realized that Chris was nowhere to be found.
“She went to look at some papers
with a lawyer,” I replied, trying to give just enough information, but not too
much as to overwhelm her. I wasn’t sure
she would get the concept of “lawyer,” but it was already out of my mouth so I
let it go.
“What papers?” she answered,
ignoring the word of my worries and moving right to something she could handle.
Struggling to keep it simple, yet
revealing the anxiety of my own train of thought, I replied, “The kind of
papers that talk about … what they call her mommy’s “will.” Rats.
I did it again. She’ll never get
what a will is. Now how will I ever communicate
the concept of a will to a three-year-old?
Was I really ready to discuss death?
I dreaded her response as she thought about it for a few long moments. Finally she looked up at me and with a
quizzical expression on her face declared, “Well, I call my mommy, ‘Mommy.’”
And there you have it. That’s what’s really important, anyway. Not lawyers and wills. Just papers and … Mommy. Not strangers and uncertain futures. Just opportunities to create and relationships
to deepen. Not frustration and
death. Just peace and life. Best sermon I have heard in a long, long
time. Wish I could communicate like that
on Sunday mornings.
Psalms 27:5 says, “For in the day of trouble he will keep me
safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set
me high upon a rock.”
Father, thank you for your promise
of ultimate protection and peace. Sure
helps to remember that when it comes to keeping priorities in order. Amen.
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