A Bed and a Prayer

My youngest son's "big boy bed" sat in the hallway in pieces for months.  Even though he's a strapping nearly-three-year-old, we put off taking him out of the crib.  One reason was that we thought it would be difficult to make him stay in a regular bed.  The more important reason though was that I was too lazy to put the new bed together.

If there's an excuse to put off a home project, I've used it.  It takes me a long time to get anything done around the house.  I'm not proud of this, just being honest.

The crib was no different.  It didn't look like putting it together would be hard, just time consuming, tedious and--I could tell by looking at the parts--somewhat frustrating.  I put it off and put it off...

Then last week something swept over me, and I started getting things done.  I cleaned up the basement and reorganized my office.  I built canoe racks for my truck.  I pruned the trees in my front yard and installed three new light fixtures inside the house.

It may not sound like much, but each item took at least a whole evening.  The light fixture project started with a Home Depot Trip at around 3 p.m. Saturday and concluded as darkness fell just after 9:00.

I knew then that my son's bed was next on the list.  At midnight, just before I went to bed, I did something I've been doing off-and-on for nearly 10 years now: knelt beside the crib and prayed with my sleeping child.

Down on my knees, it occurred to me that I might be performing this particular ritual for the last time.

"No," I thought.  "He's not going to stay in this bed the first night we put him in it.  He'll keep getting up and coming in our room until we're forced to put him back in the crib.

"I may not pray many more times next to the crib, but this won't be the last."

For awhile yesterday , I thought the bed assembly might not get done.  I had setup duty at church; then we had friends over for lunch.  They left at around 2:30, and I really wanted to put those new racks on the truck and take my two oldest boys out in the canoe.

"I'll put the bed together when we get back," I said.

Realistically though, there was no way I was going to get it done after paddling for two hours in 100 degree heat.

"Can you come help me put it together now?" I asked Kim.

She and I, along with all three of our sons, got the bed put together in about an hour.  Kim went to get some sheets, and when she got back the big boys and I went canoing, returning home just before dark.

It took awhile, but I finally got Brett to go to sleep last night.  He had no intention of getting back in that crib, and I doubt he ever will.

My children's bedsides will continue to be among my favorite places to talk to God, but I guess my days of praying next to that crib are over.

Comments

[Babar]

We're putting off getting the almost 3 year old "big girl" of our house a real bed too. Partly the worry that she won't stay in it, partly me being cheap and hating that we have to buy one!

[Arthur]

Soon enough I'll be facing this same situation, and will have to upgrade Abby's bed. Hopefully, though, regardless of what beds they're in, we'll still continue to pray next to them - and teach them to do the same:):)

[jec]

A great event--I think the next step would have been his arms and legs sticking through the slats as he got taller. Amazing he never realized he could just climb out!