Friday, February 27, 2009

A New Prayer

Simply put: Stacia has been a pill this week.

I shared earlier about Stacia's prayers.

In our family circle times this week she's been quite insistent that SHE will pray and it's always the one above. Tonight Nolan wanted to pray and she was ugly about it. I told her that it doesn't make Jesus happy for her to be nasty about whose turn it is to pray.

Nolan prayed.

Then...Stacia prayed.

"God, My Daddy is gone. I know that he loves me and I love him. He said goodbye to me at the airport. He loves me. Bless the cook."

I teared up. No wonder she's been a pill this week. I told her on the 17th that he was only going to be gone for a short time...but she's not getting it. The others are old enough to understand but goodbyes to loved ones (Grandparents, Older Siblings, Daddy) have often been long in her 3 years of life. This makes her obsessive parting, "Goodbye. Promise I'll see you again. I love you.", all the more poignant.

I tried to reach Mike and Mom Mary said he'd call me when he came inside...but he's not called and she's in bed....so we'll catch him tomorrow. There's a time difference. I'll also be sure to show her again and again on the calendar WHEN he's coming home, but I don't think she'll fully get it until he walk in the door.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

5 comments:

Linda said...

That's so sad! I guess she would think of departures as being lengthy separations!

Paula said...

Poor kid. Time is a pretty amorphous concept at that age anyway, and if Daddy's gone it probably feels like forever even if it's not.

DeEtta @ Courageous Joy said...

True Paula and Linda...I can't believe I didn't put it all together.

In our mind a couple of weeks isn't much after deployments....but in her short life it is most often a 6 month absence and then a quick visit.

Debbie said...

De'Etta, that would definitely make me cry. Poor little dear.

When Brian is away, we do a calendar of sorts. I print off a blank calendar and we mark the days Brian will be away and then make a big mark on the day he will be home and then put a sticker or big "X" or something as each day passes. For some reason this marking off of days makes it easier for them to see that he will be home soon.

Wild Homeschool Family said...

Awww no wonder she's had an attitude with all that going on in her mind. So hard for such a little one.