Revelation Chapter 14

​“and they sang a new song before the throne…” Revelation 14:13.
 
     Oh Lord, fill my children’s mouth with a new song to sing before Your throne. I pray wherever You go, they will follow. Purchase them with Your blood and offer them as the first fruit of righteousness among men. Find them blameless, oh God, and keep their bodies, minds, and mouths pure. May they hear You and give you glory, proclaiming Your eternal gospel to all those on the earth. In the face of persecuting winds, Lord, I pray You will help them to obey, remain faithful to Your commandments, and persevere with endurance. Bless my children5 in life and death, Lord God, while You help them find rest from their labors and joy in suffering.
 
     Sweet Pea is no longer a preschooler. Gone are the chubby legs and the round face. Eyes now peer above well-defined cheekbones. Limbs once undefined with baby fat now taper in length. Even her vocabulary is growing up. Where “punkmin’s” abounded as tongue-twisters, now proper pronunciation, and advanced vocabulary flourish in stately decorum. Hair styles, accessorizing, thoughtful opinions, and growing self-awareness wave at the forefront to signal the change. I’m not sure how or when it happened. But Sweet Pea is now fully, most definitely, and without question, a little girl.
     These past years have been a blur. The whirlwind of physical, emotional, social, and spiritual development has left me gasping for breath. Like many of you, it feels like only yesterday when I first held her tiny body in my arms. Where did the time go? When did she grow so tall? How am I now looking at a little girl who likes to tease, encourage, and unashamedly proclaim her faith in Jesus? Yet, as I marvel over these questions, it makes me treasure my moments with her even more.

One recent Sunday, Sweet Pea was in Children’s Church. She alternates between attending Children’s Church or the regular service. We purposefully orchestrate this flip flop from one week to another because we want our daughter exposed to the Word of God both with her peers and with the church family as a whole. Because Sweet Pea attended Children’s church, she missed one of her favorite worship songs.
     “She’s going to be disappointed.” My husband grinned at me. “Should we tell her?”  I shrugged. My eyebrows raised in mock horror.
     “You know what she will do, once she finds out.” In answer, my husband raised his hands and wiggled his fingers. His eyes gleamed with mischief.
     For years, “Cornerstone” has been one of Sweet Pea’s favorite worship songs. Perhaps her love of it originated back when I danced with her in my arms to its powerful words. I dipped, twirled, swayed, and flew as I cuddled her close in my praise of God. I breathed in her baby softness and nestled her smooth hair beneath my chin. Down she would lean to glimpse my moving legs. Up her head would bob to giggle and gurgle with delight. A wide mouthed smile and sparkling eyes always rewarded our dance.
    Maybe her love of the song had begun when I started singing it to her as a bedtime lullaby. With the lights low and me snuggled at her side, Sweet Pea’s eyes shone with joy as her voice lifted with mine. Or perhaps the song rocketed to the top when she heard me perform it at a concert. My violin had bowed those beautiful low, long undertones to the melodic piano chords while my voice sang the bright harmonies.
     But what sealed the deal were the dancing fingers I placed on the headboard of her bed one night. My fingers followed the descending piano riff down the frame from right to left. I smacked out the rhythm as I sang the introductory chords, pretending I was the pianist.
     “Da-da, da-da, da-da, daaa…” Tap-tap, tap-tap, tap-tap, TAP! Four times I repeated this bit of choreography. Sweet Pea was captivated. She squealed. She laughed. Her little hands reached up to join mine.
     “More, more!” she cried. her baby fat legs kicked and her body wiggled with delight. After that, there was no going back. The words still held their meaning but now everything was elevated. Especially on the day Mommy’s fingers started using Sweet Pea’s plump arms for those descending chords in lieu of the headboard. And then came the day when those fingers started tickling Sweet Pea’s ribcage with the well-familiar riff. Of course, it was natural for Mommy’s pretend piano playing on Sweet Pea to transfer to my little girl tickling me whenever she heard the song. With unabashed glee, Sweet Pea would beeline to me with fingers poised if it came over the radio.
     So, piling through our front door after church on this bright Sunday, it is no surprise what happened next. Sweet Pea assumed the position once my husband located the song on his phone and explained what she had missed. Laughter, giggles, and shrieks ensued from both mother and child. But as the song continued and the recorded voices raised in worship, my mood changed. Fun and games faded as my spirit rose to praise our Heavenly Lord. Sentimentality settled over my heart.
     Memories flashed through my mind, transporting me back to the days when I danced with Sweet Pea in my arms. I remembered the feel of our hearts beating as one with each leap and twirl we pirouetted. I remembered how it felt to clasp her close to my chest as we bonded through worship and dance. Gone were the days when she laid her head in the crook of my shoulder as she swayed in my arms to the music. Gone were the days when I held her close to croon my love for Jesus over her. Yet, there she stood. All little girl. Eyes still sparkling and a wide smile over her face.
     I looked at her, envisioning once more that baby of old. Tears sprang to my eyes as love welled deep. Love for this precious gift of a daughter.  Love for my Heavenly Lord who gave her to us.
     “Mommy?” Sweet Pea asked, seeing the tears in my eyes. My fingers reached to trace my little girl’s face, my blind eyes unseeing. Then, with one fell swoop, I leaned down and lifted. Up, up, up, Sweet Pea came in my arms. My hands clasped tight beneath her. My muscles strained to hold. Then, I began to sway.
     “Da-da, da-da, da-da, daaaa.” played the music. Sweet Pea’s eyes rounded in surprise.
     “Mommy?” she asked again.
     “Shhhh,” I whispered, leaning my head against hers, “let’s dance.” So, dance we did. This time, her legs dangled beneath my knees as I twirled. This time, my arms hoisted and strained to keep my little girl elevated. But dance we did. We twirled and swayed, spun and swirled. My legs once more extended and pointed in praise. Her head, although bigger than the last time we had danced years ago, still nestled in the crook in my shoulder. Her hair, although now longer, was still soft and fragrant with sweet shampoo. Thin and elongated were her limbs, but still clasped close was she to my chest.
     My eyes closed. A smile of contentment splayed over my features. And despite the Herculean effort it took to hold her aloft, I dance. Twirl, sway, twirl. Tears fell. My spirit praised and worshiped the God who created life and gave us breath. Step, step, Spin. My heart praised God for His goodness. Sweet Pea’s arms, now longer and stronger, wrapped around me. My heart praised God for this one last dance.
     Fellow parents, cherish these moments we have with our children while they are small. Time passes so quickly. Before we know it, they are graduating high school and going away to college. They transform from babies who cannot sit, eat, talk, or even hold their heads up to teenagers and adults with opinions and views of their own. Then, in a blink of the eye, they are married with children of their own. This window of time when we can still hold them in our arms, when we are the center of their world, and when they interact with innocent childish delight is fleeting.
     Yes, parenting is challenging. Yes, sometimes our sanity feels like it is on the line. Yes, we have days where we just want to tear our hair or sit to cry. But through the daily mire, capture these moments of joy, breathe in their baby scent, and hold their little bodies close. Delight in their sing-song voices and belly laughs. Relish the spilled juice, scraped knees, strewn toys, and runny noses for soon they will not need us. Take time to play their little games, sing their silly songs, and dance their cute dances. All too soon this season of development in our children’s lives will pass by. Children are a gift from the Lord. May we treasure each moment and give praise to God.

Cornerstone - Hillsong Worship 

A Parents Prayer
Oh Lord, praise You for the gift of my children. Thank you for entrusting them to me. Help me to be faithful to raise them in Your ways and keep me present in each moment. Grant me joy in this journey of parenting yet undergird me with wisdom and strength. Help me continually point them to you, Jesus. Amen