little folded hands

Ever since we brought Bethany home from the hospital, Dan and I would read her a Bible story before bed. The books all said to develop a routine so that your baby would know what to expect at nighttime which would eventually lead to an easy, cry-free bedtime. We decided that most nights we'd do a pretty basic schedule of bath, milk, Bible story and then bed. It worked like a charm. Bethany has always loved her baths and now we just have to say the word and she runs to bang on the bathroom door trying to take off her clothes along the way. Playing with toys, washing her hair, practicing blowing bubbles, and Rub-a-dub-dub three pigs in a tub story and we're done. The trick is to get a diaper on her before she escapes and in one case pees on cousin Charlie's clothes (but that is another story!). I treasured feeding Bethany until she turned one, and now she takes a bottle like a champ. We've moved to a sippy cup during the day for milk, but at night we get some cuddle time with Bethany all snug in her sleep-sack rubbing or pinching our arms or necks for comfort (she is a sensory little girl). Once she's done eating we go find daddy and head to her room to sit in the rocking chair my mom used when my sister and I were babies. Bethany gets so excited when she see Dan walking with us into her room. She leans towards him and sits on his lap while I sit on the stool in front of them and open the Bible Story book my Morfarmor and Morfarfar (great-grandparents in Swedish on my mother's side) gave to me when I was a little girl. We are nearing the end of the book (and are so thankful Dan's parents gave us a new one to start when this one is finished complete with a daily Bible song if we so desire) and tonight learned of the stoning of Stephen and how he didn't even run away but trusted God. Bethany loves books and likes to look at the pictures as I read. After the story Dan holds Bethany and I fold my hands near Bethany's as he prays. She knows this routine and tonight folded her little hands with me! We have prayed that Bethany will love God and choose to follow Him with her life, and while I know that she is too young to understand I know that she is watching us. She is growing everyday, but how confusing the world must be to a little baby. All she knows is the routine and consistency that she sees each day through her activities, and through us, her parents. It made my heart hopeful that one day she will connect the dots and remember the Bible stories, prayer time, the love that she sees displayed through us and the rest of her family to make a conscious decision to follow Christ. In the meantime, we will pray, and continue to ask God to guide our paths as we raise our precious little girl.