A Little Way for Unconditional Love

Linking up with Blessed Is She and #BISsisterhood this morning!

Lately, the afternoons, the part after nap time, just seems to stretch forever. 

We're in a serious funk at that point in the day. The kids are both in growth spurts that mean sleeping is either very little or a lot (but not in tandem with each other), and the need for mom's direct attention is high.

Then a miracle happened yesterday: it was quiet for a blessed 10 minutes. 

While everyone was awake! 

But that should have been wildly suspicious. 

I realized I had gotten too productive and should probably go see why that was the case. 

I found this:

Here is what John had to say about it:

Me: "John, where did your bubbles go?"
John: "I cooked with them. Made shampoo. Got Therese's hair aaallll cleaned up!"

*face palm*

He truly thought he was being helpful. He really was trying to be good. But it was just...not.

And I love him for it.

It is my tiny, miniscule, infinitely inadequate, glimpse at what loving us might be like for God. Even the saints may have tried so hard on earth to get things right, and just....didn't.

So I did what Jesus would do: I took the messy little baby and made her clean again. I talked with the big brother, who made the mess, about how I knew he was trying to be good but here are some better choices for next time. He said he would not do it again, and meant it sincerely (as far as I can tell.)

And we resumed being close with each other. We read many books, made dinner together, and played dance party.

We practiced a little unconditional love, in our little way, because these are the little lessons that build to the big lessons.

Someday my rambunctious little three year old will be old enough to go into a confessional himself, and he will get to experience the unconditional love of the Father.

He will have learned what a little taste of that unconditional love is like from his earthly mother.
At least I can try.