Can you lick your elbow?

This morning while I was in the shower, Emily came running into the bathroom.

“Mommy!?”

“Yes?”

“You know how they say it’s impossible to lick your own elbow? Well, I can almost do it!! Do you want to see it?”

“Ummm, not right this minute.  I’m a little busy.  (Did she not hear the water running?)  I’d love to see it when I’m done here though.”

“Ok! It’s really cool!”

She could hardly stand to wait until I was fully dressed before showing me this amazing trick.  I was definitely impressed because she does in fact get very close to accomplishing this feat whereas I can get my tongue nowhere near my elbow. 

I laughed a little after she barged in the bathroom with her HUGE news as I thought about the cliché that mommies don’t even get to go to the bathroom alone.  My daughter is 8 and rarely interrupts me while I’m in the bathroom anymore, but apparently this news just couldn’t wait.  It’s definitely one of the things I truly love most about children – they are so easily amused and find joy in the simplest of things.

It also made me think about how thankful I am that God is never too busy to listen to me.  He is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.  Always. Anytime.  He can listen to countless conversations at the same time.  That is beyond my understanding because I can’t even listen to 2 people talking to me at the same time!  He wants to hear about the big stuff as well as the small stuff.  He wants me to talk to him about everything!  He wants to rejoice with me when I learn something new, or when I have a great day.  He also wants to comfort me when things aren’t going well at all.

In this busy world we live in it’s hard for us to imagine having a friend that is never (ever!) too busy for us, but we have one.  Not only is He not too busy for us – He’s eagerly waiting for us to talk to Him.  Even about your latest tongue-to-elbow trick!

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them,

for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matt 19:14)

I hope my daughter will always come to me – with her joys and her sorrows.  However, since there will be times that I am unavailable (I do need to shower!) – I am thankful for the relationship she already has with her Heavenly Father and that she knows without a doubt that He is always there.  Everywhere.  Anytime.  All the time.