Well, a new milestone has been reached in the Terrebonne house. No more baby beds! Woohoo!
I know what you’re thinking. Yes, Vivienne is three, but let’s get real here for a minute. Do you actually think that we would voluntarily move this child out of her crib so that she has full range of the house in the middle of the night? Um, do you even know her?
Our sweet Vivienne. The independent one. The strong-willed one. Trust me when I say that if I could keep her in the crib till she’s twelve, I would.
But I guess all kids have to grow up.
Last Friday at nap time, as I was trying to get some work done around the house, I heard a blood-curdling scream coming from Vivienne’s room. I ran in and found her hanging upside down with her legs on the top rail of the crib. Her hands were slipping and she was freaking out. I picked her up, calmed her down, and immediately texted Peter to let him know that he needed to convert the crib to a toddler bed. And that our nights of freedom were over.
To her credit, Vivienne has adjusted well to being in a “big girl” bed. I really expected her to come out of her room a hundred times at both nap time and bedtime but so far, she has been unusually compliant. (I’m writing this at nap time, and already, she has been in and out of her bed three times, she has gotten into her jewelry, and she has requested one of her favorite books. Maybe I’m bragging on her too soon…)
This morning as Vivienne and I were playing outside, I realized just how grown up she is. Not only is she no longer sleeping in a crib, but today she hopped up on the swing and began swinging herself. Usually she needs an initial push to get started, but today, she required no help. She didn’t need me at all. At first, I thought that maybe I should be a little bit sad about these sudden changes, but then I decided that I have enough on my plate with three kids, a husband, and an upcoming deployment so frankly, there is no time for sadness.
Case in point: This weekend, the little kids were having some quiet time. Vivienne was actually napping and Jonah was supposed to be playing quietly in his room. At the end of his allotted time, I went to his room to tell him he could come out, and when I went in, his room was empty. I couldn’t find him anywhere. I looked all over the house, called his name several times, and finally I screamed, “Jonah, you’re scaring mommy! Come out now!”
He walked out with a huge grin on his face. The little stinker had been hiding in Brienne’s closet. I knew he couldn’t have gone far and that he hadn’t walked outside, but still. I was sort of on the verge of hysteria. He was so proud of himself, though, as he said, “Mom, I was hiding from you. I’m a great hider!”
Kids love to play hide and seek. It’s a natural process in their development and it is quite entertaining to watch them figure out how to play. Right now, Vivienne thinks that if her eyes are closed, no one is able to see her. And for a long time, Jonah couldn’t remain quiet long enough for someone to find him. (That phase is obviously over…) Their little brains fascinate me.
As I watch my children play these games, I think about my own ability to hide. As I’ve grown and matured, I’ve gotten much better at hiding some of the things I don’t like about myself. Maybe you feel the same way. Maybe you strive to hide your vulnerability from others. Maybe you, like me, are an emotional person and you desire to conceal some of those emotions. Maybe you try to suppress your anger or your hurts. Your fears or disappointments. Maybe you want to hide part of your personality from others so that they might like you better. Maybe you want to bury a portion of your past that you aren’t proud of. Or maybe you even want to hide from God. (I’ve tried that, by the way. It doesn’t actually work.)
In the twelfth chapter of Luke, We find Jesus speaking to a large crowd about this very subject of hiding. Listen to His words in verses 1-3: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.”
So, yeah. Jesus tells it like it is. There is nothing hidden that will not be made known. Yikes.
Maybe you’ve been hurt by people in the church who are hiding behind their religion. Maybe you have even been one of those people: current-day Pharisees who are legalistic rule-followers, afraid to love others. Afraid to let down their guard and be real and honest. In Jeremiah 23:24, God says, “Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?” The Lord sees each of us. He knows our hearts.
We can not hide from Him. And I don’t want to.
In Psalm 32:7, David writes, “You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.”
My prayer for each of us is this: As we grow and mature, as we reach our own milestones, let us learn to live in freedom. Let us no longer hide from others or attempt to hide from God. Instead, let’s make Him our hiding place because He can protect us from heartache, from disappointments. He can deliver us from the enemy.
When we put our trust in the Lord, He gives us strength and wisdom. He becomes our sanctuary in times of tumultuous change. So, no more hide and seek, my friends. Stop holding back. Run to the One who wants to be your hiding place. Take refuge in Him.