MOMMY!!

I had a couple thoughts recently thanks to Katie.  Katie turned two about a month ago, and as a result of her recent bound of development, she is a bundle of personality and excitement.  A few days ago, we went to the park.   Another little family was there as well.  They had a little one who looked to be about three or three and a half.  This little child was heads taller than Katie, had an arm span at least twice Katie's, and was a lot more muscular.

Every time Katie saw this little child, she would get excited and yell, "BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!"  It cracked me up since of the two, she was MUCH more of a baby than this other little kid.  But she was SO excited about the 'baby' there at the park with her.

I kept giggling to myself at Katie calling this other little kid a baby and it made me wonder if we do that spiritually.  I wonder if we go about supporting new converts and thinking they are babies in the gospel, when in reality their spiritual maturity is far greater than ours.  I wondered if the Lord ever giggled at us like I was giggling at Katie.

This reminded me of a story I heard recently.  I don't remember who the story came from- only that it was a General Authority of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  I think the story was pretty old, but the message is the same.  This gentleman was assigned to be a home teacher for a couple in the ward that were newer converts.  He was excited to be able to help take care of them and make sure they didn't struggle with things since they were so much newer to the gospel.  As he and his companion visited them, he kept seeing things they were doing, realizing how important it was to do those things that we've been asked to do, and then feeling a bit ashamed that he and his family were NOT doing them.  He had thought he was going to strengthen them, but they strengthened him instead.

Rather than seeing each other in terms of stages or strengths, let's just see each other as children of God.  No matter where we are in any stage of life, development, testimony, strength, courage, etc., we are all still children to our Heavenly Father.

Katie gave me another little experience today in church.  Scott was home sick, so I had the girls by myself all through church. In Sunday School, the nursery leader brought Katie to me because she needed a new diaper.  The room we were in for Sunday School had a big empty area behind where we were sitting.  The nursery leader had come through that back door, so Katie saw me through the empty area of the room.  She ran in, running towards me as fast as she could in her dress, and yelled, "MOMMY!!!!"  I knelt down and opened my arms to her and she threw herself at me in a hug.

This was sweet to me for several reasons.  The first is that I have two DADDY'S GIRLS, so that is the reception that is more commonly given to Daddy. (They see Mommy all day, so what's the big deal when she enters a room? :D)  The second reason is that I am currently attending the Parenting Sunday School class. (I don't know the official name for it.) We'd just been talking about raising children in love when Katie did this.  That made the moment more poignant for me because I was thinking about how much I loved my girls.

The last reason was one that came to me as I walked Katie home to change her diaper.  (We don't bring a diaper bag to church.  We should, but this is the first time I can remember needing to change a diaper during church hours for a child over three months old....  So I had to take her home to clean her up.)  I wondered if that is how sweet the reunion will be with our Heavenly Father and Savior when we see them again.  Will we run to their open arms just as Katie did mine?

I think so.