Lessons From Little Ones - Guest Blog by Sonja Baldwin
Yesterday I was caring for two of my granddaughters, Adeline, the four-year-old preschooler and Mary Alice, the 6-month old baby. I was walking down the pasture road between my house and my daughter’s, pushing the stroller. Adeline always wants to push “all by myself!” The road is rough and unlevel with tall weeds and obstacles to the side. With determination, she pushes with all her “big girl” strength. As the stroller with the baby inside veers off the road, I put my hand on the handle to steady it. Immediately Adeline cries out, “No, I want to do it all by myself!” So I have to explain to her that I’m not pushing the stroller— only guiding it in the right direction. What Adeline is not aware of in her immaturity is that she can’t see over the stroller to keep it going straight. She is, in a sense, blind to the road in front of her. I, on the other hand, am taller so I can see ahead in the right direction in order to avoid obstacles and am stronger to steady the stroller from tipping over on the uneven ground. Not only am I protecting her but also someone she loves dearly.
This morning as I was thinking about it, I was drawn to a similarity between this experience and how God deals with his children. Many times I cannot see the road in front of me. I am blinded by the circumstances, my own headstrong ways, or the limits of being human. I take off with great determination, confident in my own skills to master the task or situation at hand, not realizing the obstacles in my path. I want to “do it myself.” How grateful I am that God has his hand on the stroller, guiding it back in the right direction, steadying it so it doesn’t turn over as it encounters obstacles in the path, rescuing me and those in my care whether I’m aware of it or not.
Thank you, Lord, for the lessons learned from my little ones!
Sonja Baldwin is a semi-retired Spanish teacher who lives with her husband, Randy, on a small farm near Nixa, MO. Among her passions are gardening and grandchildren.
