Cooper is growing so fast. He is starting to talk and repeating everything and getting the hang of what words actually mean. Over the past 2+ weeks he has had several bouts of stomach problems. We think he is finally over it but we arestill watching his dairy intake as there is a possibility that he has developed an intolerance.
All that to say that over the past couple of weeks we have had many, many diaper changes. Just prior to his "sickness" he had started to use the potty on some occasions and wearing undies too. However, with the rate he was "going" I switched back to diapers. There were a ton of trips to his bedroom for changing and I started to tell him to "follow me" when we would go in there for a change (because he was getting too heavy for me to carry every time :-) ). After a couple days of multiple trips he started to repeat "follow me" anytime we made a trip in there. It is quite cute hearing a little "follow meee folllloww mee fffffollow mee" coming out in his little toddler speak/singing. Then he got to where when I would say "follow me" I would have to say it again and again and sometimes make it into a game so that he would actually follow because he knew what was coming.
I am in the process of reading a book called The Beloved Disciple by Beth Moore. The subtitle is Follow John to the Heart of Jesus. Just a few chapters in I read the quote "We'll see that John followed Jesus on some amazing paths. Are you willing to follow Him?". Then in the next chapter Mark 1:20 "Without delay he called them [James and John], and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed Him.". "Without delay". That isn't always how Cooper follows me and in reality that isn't always how I follow God. And just like Cooper, sometimes I need God to tell me again and again to follow because I think I know what's coming and I'm not sure I'm going to like it. Everytime I read the word follow or followed I can hear my little man's toddler voice in my head repeating "follllloooow meee". How the Lord uses everyday things to get our attention.
According to Merriam-Webster the primary meaning of follow is "to go or come after or behind". Just like when Cooper comes behind me down the hall to his room for a diaper change or how James and John walked the path behind/with Jesus as he traveled during his ministry. But there are over 20 meanings and sub-meanings of the word. Including-to copy after, to keep the mind on, to accept as authority, and to engage in as a calling or a way of life.
Because I stay home with him and I'm his mom, I am Cooper's biggest influence at this point in his life. And I want him to "follow me". Not just to his room for a diaper change but in the actions I take and the ways I teach him. That's because of my love for him, and because I believe I have his best interests in mind and heart, and because I want to keep him safe from harm and hurt. In the book Beth also talks about how she followed Christ and anything that she is or has value of is from Him.
!!Light bulb on!!
This is also what Jesus meant when he said "follow me". He didn't just expect the disciples to walk behind him throughout the towns. He wanted them to learn from him, to keep their minds on his ways, to accept him as their authority, and to engage in his ways as their way of life. This was because of his love for them and because he wanted their best interests and he wanted to keep them safe from harm and hurt. He leads us for our good and w need to remember that anything we have of value is from Him.
Just like I want Cooper to "follow" me, the Lord wants me to follow him. I'll be honest and say I haven't been doing a very well at this of late. I've been frustrated by the cold weather keeping us inside, and having a sick baby, and having a messy house because I have a sick baby, and missing out on fellowship, and on and on. I've been letting bitterness and worry into my mind and heart and slowed my following pace. So I'm glad his mercies are new every morning and that I can choose today to catch up and follow more closely.
Sometimes being a stay at home mom is hard...
Like when this is how he wants to eat breakfast...
or when he unrolls an entire brand new roll of toilet paper
or when he takes after his daddy and won't eat his bananas
Or when we have to watch the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse ALLLLLL day LONG!!
Or when he's sick...
Or wants to watch MORE ELMO!
But I wouldn't trade it for the world because he makes my life such a joy and more interesting and fun everyday. And I know and pray that this is how God feels about me too because I am His adopted daughter and am living by following Him!!
