Screaming Baby

Sleep has been really difficult for Amanda and I in the past week. We are staying at Amanda's parents house and we are staying in one room. Amanda's brother and family are in the room beside us and they have a young child. Then across the hall, her sister and their family are staying for a week of vacation. It feels like we are in a crowded motel. Let's just say that when one child cries, the rooms next door hear it. Our little Autumn has just started teething. What a great time for it! I thought part of the reason for a sabbatical was to rest from the normal routine. (Normal Routine = lack of sleep) Well, let's just say that Autumn has not helped with the sleep factor. Every night she wakes up crying. How do you sooth a teething child? There are many ideas and remedies...but sometimes none of them work.

The other night Amanda had enough. She was not able to sooth Autumn and the screaming was driving her bonkers. The worst part was thinking that we were waking everybody in the house up. It was my turn. I patted Autumn's back. I scratched her back. I said nice calm words to her. I stuck the pacifier in her mouth. I laid her head down. Nothing worked. The screaming intensified. My eardrums were buzzing because it was so loud. I could feel my blood boiling inside. A screaming child can cause the worse to come out of you. It can reach in to the depths of your heart and pull out all the evil it can find. This particular day in my sabbatical was a time of worship and thanksgiving...what a way to end it.

I redirected my focus to the Lord and rebuked Satan. Through the blood curling screaming, I began singing worship songs. I started thanking the Lord for all the beautiful things I see and love in Autumn. (Her huge eyes. Her loving smile. The way she bounces her arms when she is happy. How she has warmed up to me. The great day I had with her this week bouncing her in my arms.) The screaming stopped...not. It was louder and even more piercing. Amanda was laying on the bed with a pillow over her ears. But, there was peace in my heart and a smile on my face. Eventually Autumn ended up on my chest in bed and she fell asleep. It was a beautiful moment for me. She was sleeping and I was still praising the Lord...at 4 a.m. Maybe God wanted me to continue in worship. Maybe He wanted me to learn patience. Whatever it was...God gave me what I needed and it was a wonderful moment with Creator, Father and child.