Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Out of the Mouths of Babes?



This is a true story.


Yesterday Katherine went back for another follow-up appointment following her eye surgery. I drove her (and Jay) to UCLA, then returned to the apartment to face the dreaded Monday morning clean-up. I felt exhausted and very drained.

When Jay and Katherine returned with complicated news, I had to sit down.

James was eating his lunch at the little folding bamboo table that serves as a dining table in our apartment/camp. I joined him at the table as Jay and Katherine continued explaining the next options, each accompanied by both advantages and disadvantages. Katherine and Jay both looked so tired. I felt overwhelmed and sad that they were being forced to make more serious decisions. Katherine asked me what I thought. I thought, "Well, we could just go eeny-meeny-mieny-moe. Or we could pray."

I said, "Sit down. Let's pray."

James looked at us curiously as we held hands and bowed our heads. Katherine prayed first. At one point, James let out his little grunt/yell thing that means "Hey, look at me. I'm not pleased." But Katherine kept praying...actually, she was mostly praising. Jay followed her, and then it was my turn. As soon as I opened my mouth, I lost it. I reminded God of how much Katherine has already been through. Tears were plopping down in my lap like a leaky showerhead.

I was not aware of anything other than the words I pleaded. Then Katherine kind of nudged us. I peaked one eye open. Covered in peanut butter, James sat across from me with head bowed, eyes scrunched closed, and a very sad look on his face.

When I finally finished, we looked up at James. He still sat there with his eyes closed, apparently praying.

For the next few magical minutes, we watched his precious little face. He looked like someone "entering into the agony of intercession." He shook his head every now and then, letting out a few little whimpers and an occasional cry. Jay and I fumbled around for cameras. I finally found my phone and captured this image. Jay grabbed Grace's computer, turned the web cam around, and recorded the unique sight. It was one of the weirdest things I've ever seen.

Was he asleep and dreaming?
Was he in a trance?
Was he receiving a "word of knowledge?"

Or was he praying for his mommy in "groans too deep for words???"

Maybe we'll find out one day.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

He is such a sweet baby. And I bet he is going to accomplish a whole lot of great things when he grows up.

Praying for all of you.

Much love,

Desiree

Laurel said...

Wow. I have chills. You may well have captured his first intercessory prayer on film, and sometimes it is one special prayer God is waiting to answer. Just so that person can know the power of prayer.

Peggy Dabbs said...

How mysterious is God's ways! Only
He knows what James was thinking and hearing!

I was so excited for Katherine's eye surgery to take place, and couldn't believe that there was another problem to deal with. I only know Katherine and you through her postings and your blog,
but I can see how beautiful that she is physically. Her eyes are
definitely outstanding. I am praying hard that they will soon be
restored to their original beauty.

You touch my heart everytime I read your blog.

Love and prayers,
Peggy Dabbs

Teresa @ Grammy Girlfriend said...

Wow is all I can say.....I love your blog and am putting it on my sidebar...I don't want to miss a post...Hope you will stop by and visit my new Christmas blog that I launched today. The button on my regular blog will take you right to it....

tatiana said...

God's little miracles: children....


"What children take from us, they give.... We become people who feel more deeply, question more deeply, hurt more deeply, and love more deeply."
Sonia Taitz, O Magazine, May 2003

"Children are like wet cement. Whatever falls on them makes an impression."
Haim Ginott

"For the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light."
Bible, Luke xvi. 8.

"Children are the hands by which we take hold of heaven."
Henry Ward Beecher (1813 - 1887)

"We are given children to test us and make us more spiritual."
George F. Will (1941 - )

"There are times when God asks nothing of his children except silence, patience and tears."
C. S. Robinson

"God sends children for another purpose than merely to keep up the race - to enlarge our hearts; and to make us unselfish and full of kindly sympathies and affection; to give our shoulds higher aims; to call out all our faculties to extended enterprise and exertion and to bring round our firesides bright faces, happy smiles, and loving, tender hearts. My soul blesses the great Father, every day, that he has gladdened the earth with little children."
Mary Howitt

Kim, what an amazing experince to witness.... just awe inspiring.

Maybe one day, you will find out (personally, I think he was praying for his mommy).... :)

Many blessings,
Tati

tatiana said...

I forgot to mention that the picture is perfect. Just like what a little peanut butter covered angel should look like....

By the way, oops....
(spelling correction on "shoulders" & "experience")....

Love,
Me

Anonymous said...

I'm reminded of the passage in scripture where Jesus describes the Kingdom of God:

"Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14.

I think what you witnessed was the kingdom of heaven!

For each of us who have prayed (and continue to pray) and watched moment by moment over the course of the past year+, we too have witnessed the kingdom of heaven lived out through you and Katherine and Jay and James as you walk faithfully each step of the way.

Thank you for sharing your lives in such a way that we each experience the kingdom of heaven!

Leah Hulsey said...

Absolutely precious!!! I bet that was one very special prayer!!! A conversation between a child and God....I'd love to hear it!

Emily Delikat said...

Kim,
My name is Emily La Branche Delikat. I don't believe that we have ever met. I went to Jr High and High School with Jason, and my dad Mark La Branche knows Rev Jay Wolf well. I have been praying for Katherine and your family as I follow her difficult yet triumphant story.

Your blog post inspired me to ask you about something...

I am an early childhood educator and seminary student. I feel God calling me to write a book (or series) involving the spiritual formation in young children. I believe that spiritual formation begins at birth, and even before. Yet, there is not much developmentally appropriate education for the 3 and under set or their parents. I would like to begin by writing a small group curriculum for pregnant families through their babies 6 month birthday...encouraging them with ideas for including their child in worship, praying for them, introducing them to faith. I would like for this to become a series of small group (or Sunday School) books that will continue as the children get older (6-12mths, 12-18mths, etc).

I would like to include short quotes from parents/grandparents as testimony to how God is working in the lives of young children and families. I would love for you and Katherine, and other family members to share with me how you include James in your worship and how you show him God. Your quotes can be used with or without your names, as you wish.

This is a very long term project for me, and won't be done for quite some time. I am only in the research/brain storming phase right now.

My e-mail is emily.delikat@gmail.com. Thanks so much for reading such a long post!;-) and for considering helping me with this project:-)


The title for the first book ( or for the series?) btw is "Before I Formed You in the Womb..."

Thanks again!
Emily Delikat