Holding My Hand

My toddler has reached the point where more than half the time he walks with me through parking lots rather than being carried. It works fine, and saves me from lugging his 30 pound self around on my hip, as long as he holds my hand.

But sometimes, he tugs his little hand out of mine, refusing the hand holding.

I remember well, this phase with my firstborn child. He loved to walk on his own and the freedom of not being carried. When he tried to push the independence too far and wanted to walk by himself through the parking lot, I would say, “You need to hold my hand.” At that point he would clasp his two chubby toddler hands behind his back and say, “I’m holding my hand.”

In his toddler mind he was holding his own hand and thus didn’t need to hold mine.

Although he was indeed holding his own hand, I knew that wasn’t good enough to protect him from cars or keep him from stumbling over the speed bump, so I’d lean down and say, “Walk and hold my hand or be carried.”

Many times I had to follow through on the carrying part when he balked again at holding my hand. He is that strong-willed child always testing to see if you’re really serious about the consequence. But his desire to walk rather than have to be carried was great enough that he eventually would hold my hand.

I didn’t go through this phase with my 2nd child. She was quite the opposite and wanted to be carried everywhere as a toddler. The issue with her was getting her to walk on her own.

But, now I am again tackling the hand-holding-battle with my 3rd child. Thankfully he is not as strong-willed as his brother and usually agrees to the hand holding at the first, “You need to hold my hand" command.

But still, I am saying that phrase a bunch these days.

And so during my quiet time when this verse jumped out at me I couldn't help but be captivated by it:

Psalm 37:23-24, “The steps of a man are established by the Lord; and He delights in his way. When he falls, he shall not be hurled headlong; Because the Lord is the One who holds his hand.”

Man am I ever thankful that the Lord is holding my hand! Because holding my own hand sure wouldn't cut it!

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