Snuggling Jesus

Our boy, Noah, is a man on a mission!  Since he’s learned to walk, he zooms around our house, taking corners like a professional Nascar racer.  It seems that he’s always going somewhere but we’re never quite sure where exactly.  And I’m pretty sure he doesn’t know either, he just knows he wants to go!  He’ll be in one room and then suddenly stand and bolt out the door as if someone told him to run to Disney World and not look back.

All that to say, he is so busy busy that snuggling is not high on his priority list.  Snuggling involves resting, sitting, cuddling, stillness…  Noah would rather be running, pulling, throwing, rolling, tugging, colliding, or jumping.

I say BOO to that!  Mommy needs her snuggles!  It’d be nice to enjoy a few cuddle times with my baby before he grows up and starts to get embarrassed by me in front of all his friends!

I’ve learned to cope, however.  Some days when I really want a Noah Snuggle I’ll just scoop him up and squeeze him tight.  While I’m trying to savor the moment, Noah is physically trying to remove himself from my grasp – our snuggling consists of my holding on tight to a baby whose arms and legs are flailing so wildly they could propel an airplane.

But yesterday I got a real, unbelievably perfect, arms-thrown-around-my-neck-in-utter-abandonment snuggle.

And it had nothing to do with me!!!!

We were in the kitchen and I was starting to feel anxious about something that has been troubling me.  The best way I’ve learned to cope in these moments of unrest is to run to the Lord.  I put a worship CD on, plopped right down on the kitchen floor, lifted my hands in praise, and sang to Jesus – letting HIM wash over me with His river of peace.

Next thing I knew, Noah was in my arms.

SHOCKED!  My little tornado had actually initiated a snuggle?!?!

But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that our little snuggle on the kitchen floor was much more than Noah wanting to hug his mom, or butter me up so that I’ll give him some Cheddar Bunnies.  It was a snuggle of divine inspiration!  I believe that Noah was captivated by the JESUS he saw in me as I sat there worshiping.  He was enticed by the beautiful radiance of a heart at peace through the work of Christ.  I treasured that snuggle because I knew Noah wasn’t just snuggling me, he was snuggling Jesus.  Noah simply wanted to draw closer to Him.

I love this!  To be a mom who radiates Christ in such a way that draws others, especially her family, to Jesus.

I’m craving another snuggle.  Maybe I’ll go put on some worship music…  🙂

Psa 36:7 How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.