Monday, August 3, 2009

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!

Find more Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers & Tackle It Tuesday at 5 Minutes for Mom

9 comments:

  1. We're still hand holders with our 7 & 8 year olds in parking lots. I know how you feel about wanting them safe!

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  2. My kids and I still hold hands too..will be doing it till they are able to safely make it across busy carparks, shopping malls by themselves.

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  3. Sometimes I think we're like the little toddler. God says "you need to hold my hand." And we respond with "No thanks, I'm holding my own hand. I can do this by myself." Thanks for the verse and reminder of God's love and protection over us. :)

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  4. Thank you, this is just what I needed to hear this morning :)!!!

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  5. An important thing to tackle...a child's safety. Good luck to you!

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  6. Wow, what an awesome reminder!!

    Thank you!!!

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  7. Hi! I'm so glad I've come upon your blog through Tackle It Tuesday! Great post, btw! I'm a sahm of 3 kids, too! 6, 4, & 2 & 1/2. Stop by so we can get to know each other! I love how you wove the verse into your post!

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  8. Yes as we hold the hand of our Lord we can tackle all other jobs that require or dont require hand holding God Bless

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  9. Wow, what a profound understanding this is! And it's wonderful to realize that we never stop needing that handholding. Just as the Psalms teach us that G-d loves and cares for us, you are teaching your children how precious they are and how much you love and care for them. Enough even to carry a resistant thirty pound toddler through a parking lot, or stoop to hold his obedient hand in yours.

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