“The most comfortable bed ever!”

A few days before Christmas, two of my grandsons spent the night with me.  These two cuties are cousins, not brothers.  One is eight and one is three.  They are both the second born, with lively spirits and tons of energy that seems to multiply when they are together.

It was getting to be bed time and the older one created an elaborate bed on the floor.  Using our egg crate padding and every pillow and blanket he could find, the spot was finally ready and it was indeed comfortable. 

We have learned in the past that the conditions for sleeping  have to be just right for these boys.  There must be a night light and there must be a fan.  There is also that last minute need for a drink and sometimes even a snack (after brushing teeth).  Having all these necessities in order, the boys asked me to sleep with them on their “most comfortable bed ever.”

So I laid down on the floor in between my sweet boys.  There was a little discussion about having the right amount of pillows and blankets, how comfortable the bed was and how happy they were to be sleeping over at Ge-Ma/ Mee Maw’s. 

Shortly after, both of my sweet boys cuddled in and rested their heads on my chest.  It was truly a precious moment for me.  I took a moment to breathe in the joy of having my two grandsons from my two oldest boys in my arms.  What a blessing life had delivered to me. It was a rare occasion to have just these two together and it felt like something special that I would always remember… 

A split second later, the youngest popped up and started moving around the room.  He would walk around and talk to himself and basically do whatever he could to fight sleep.  Having had him spend the night many times before, I was pretty familiar with this routine.  He would run around for a bit and then he would come over and crash down on me.   As soon as he realized he was near sleep, he would pop up again and get back to his business of roaming, talking and imaginary play.  Then he would come crashing back, and repeat.

After a while, the oldest began to express his displeasure with this situation.  Gently at first, and then a bit more aggressively.   “I can’t sleep while he is running around talking.”  I tried to reassure him that this wouldn’t last long, and if we could just be quiet too, that our little one would finally give into sleep. 

Unfortunately, it went on for about an hour (while my husband was snoozing away).  The little one roaming around, trying to keep himself busy.   He wouldn’t just allow his little body to slow down and relax.  He just kept fighting it and moving, moving, moving.

The older one kept complaining about the one thing that was wrong with his circumstances- the noisy cousin. The goodness of comfy bed, the night light, the fan and being at Ge-Ma’s had all been forgotten. 

And I laid on the floor longing for one more moment with them just lying still next to me.  I just wanted to feel that joy of having my boy’s little boys beside me.  I just wanted them to rest and cuddle me.

And then I felt God’s message as clear as it could be. 

See, my dear child.   There are many times that I just want you to come rest on me.  But instead you chose other options.  You run around, keeping yourself busy, not allowing yourself to slow down and rest.

Or, you spend time ruminating on all the little things that are not right.  You lose sight of all the wonderful things that ARE right, and pick apart the one thing that is not. 

The story ends with the boys sleeping in the bed with grandpa, and me sleeping on the floor in “the most comfortable bed ever”, grateful for the split second of cuddles and a lesson I will never forget.