CINDY TRANE CHRISTESON -- The Moral of the Story

“God is holding onto you. He will not let you go! You are secure in

His love. Nothing -- absolutely nothing -- can separate you from the love

of God.”

-- Susan Miller

“There is nothing more precious than the sight of sleeping children,”

a friend said. “They can be devils all day, but when I see them sleeping,

they look just like little angels. I forget anything bad that might have

happened.”

I knew exactly what she meant. Every parent knows what she meant.

I spoke to a group of mothers with young children recently. Many of

the mothers had their sleeping babies in the room with them that morning.

Most were conked out in strollers, but one little boy slept quietly with

his head flopped slightly to the side on his mother’s shoulder.

I could also see a little bundle all covered in pink on her mother’s

lap. I mentioned a cartoon I’d seen with two parents gazing at their

sleeping toddler.

“He only looks like he’s sleeping,” the mother said to the father.

“But I know he’s really just recharging.”

Everybody laughed because they could all relate.

Babies can sleep in the most amazing places and positions. They seem

totally peaceful and oblivious to anything around them. I’m a sucker for

staring at a sweet, sleeping face. It doesn’t matter what mood or mode I

am in.

Time seems to stand still and so do I for a few seconds to soak in the

peaceful sight. It recharges me.

I wonder how many collective hours Jon and I have spent gazing in at

our sleeping daughters. Long after they were asleep, I’d often tiptoe

back in for one more peek.

During Christmas vacation, the four of us went to the mountains for a

few days. Whenever our daughters are home from college, the world seems

to know and the world seems to visit. The whirlwind of activity begins

the moment they walk in the front door, and it doesn’t quiet or slow down

until the door closes the day they leave.

So we whisked them away so the family could enjoy uninterrupted time

together. We had a great time talking, walking, laughing, praying,

reading and eating.

The four of us were in one room, and Jon and I woke up one morning

before the girls did. We both did exactly the same thing. We stared at

them. The girls’ faces were toward us, and once again we were mesmerized.

I’ve been staring at those beautiful faces for 19 and 21 years now, and I’ve never tired of it.

If children had the slightest idea of how much their parents stare at

them while they were sleeping, maybe they would get just the slightest

idea of how special and precious they are. If we, as God’s children, ever

had the slightest idea of how much our heavenly father stares at us

lovingly, we might get just the slightest idea of how special and

precious we are to him.

In fact, God not only watches us when we sleep, he watches us when we

are awake. God neither slumbers nor sleeps. We can take comfort knowing

that we are never out of God’s sight. Nor are we ever out of his heart.

And you can quote me on that.

* CINDY TRANE CHRISTESON is a Newport Beach resident who speaks

frequently to parenting groups. She may be reached via e-mail at o7

cindy@onthegrow.comf7 or through the mail at P.O. Box 6140-No. 505,

Newport Beach, CA 92658.