Bedtime Stories

I hate to admit this, but I've always been a fairly impatient person.

I am impatient with others. I am impatient with strangers and I am, unfortunately, impatient with those that I love. I am impatient with large corporations, and I am impatient with machines....I am impatient with the internet and I am impatient with my checking account. Most of all, I am impatient with myself....probably more than anyone or anything else, I am impatient with myself.

I always enjoyed "playing" the piano and I enjoyed "playing" the flute and then I enjoyed "playing" the oboe, but never did I enjoy "practicing" any of those, because "practicing" required patience. When I found my natural talent leaving me, it was difficult to press on.

In fact, the older I get, the more I wonder what more I could have accomplished had I had more patience.

Luckily, this lack of patience is something that I now fully recognize within myself. It is also something that my darling son continually helps me with.

When I find myself getting impatient with Hudson, during one of his seemingly well-rehearsed tantrums, I remind myself how much he has already grown. I remind myself to enjoy each stage of his life, regardless of what each stage contains (this one, is tantrums-galore).

He is turning into my little boy. No, he already is my little boy....he seemingly went from "baby" to "big boy" overnight.

Tonight, while sitting in the rocker, reading him his bedtime story, I was overwhelmed by how much I love him and how blessed we are to have him. After three books, I asked him if he was ready for "night-night", to which he shook his head, "no". So we kept reading, because I wasn't ready either.

Here is a portion of one of our stories from tonight: "Little Golden Book about God"

God gives us everything we need - Shelter from cold and wind and rain,

clothes to wear and food to eat.

God gives us flowers, the songs of birds,

the laughter of brooks, the deep song of the sea.

He sends the sunshine, to make things grow,

sends in its turn, the needed rain.

God makes us grow, too, with minds and eyes,

to look about our wonderful world, to see its beauty, to feel its might.

He gives us a small still voice in our hearts to help us tell wrong from right.

God gives us hopes and wishes and dreams, plans for our grown-up years ahead.

He gives us memories of yesterday, so that happy times and people we love we can keep with us always in our hearts. For GOD IS LOVE.

God is the love of our mother's kiss, the warm-strong hug of our daddy's arms.

God is in all the love we feel for playmates and family and friends.

When we're hurt or sorry or lonely or sad, if we think of God, He is with us there.

God whispers to us in our hearts:

"Do not fear, I am here

And I love you, my dear.

Close your eyes and sleep tight

For tomorrow will be bright -

All is well, dear child.

Good night."