Grace on the Potty

The other night I was home with my son Jacob. We played cars together in his bedroom, which is one of his many favorite pastimes.  Then it was bath-time. I ran the bath water lukewarm just like he likes it--not too hot and not too cold--just right, and he hopped in. He always enjoys his time playing in the bath tub until it comes time to actually bathe him and wash his hair. I am pretty sure I'm not the only mom out there who runs into that problem.  You are not alone. We always survive and before you know it it's time to dry him off and put on his pj's.

I got Jacob out of the tub, wrapped him in a towel, and put him on the potty because he said, "He had to go." I made sure to wrap him up and pat him dry so he would not be too cold. My least favorite thing is getting out of the shower and being cold, so I did my best to dry him and keep him warm while on the potty. Bath time is always a special time. Uninterrupted one on one time with Jacob. The next thing you know Jacob is saying, "Thanks mom for doing everything for me." It was the sweetest thing ever and made my day, week and month. Just what I needed to hear in that moment. Being a full-time working mom I always feel I have not and am not spending enough time with   him. Or that I can't keep up with him and all the mom duties that are expected of me or that I expect of myself. I feel I can't do enough. But his sweet comment reminded me that the time spent and a mom's effort is not about quantity time, but quality time. I may not have the quantity time I would  like with my son in this season of life, but I have the ability to ensure I am spending quality time with him. I do my best to ensure my phone is put away and out of sight, listen,  make eye contact and dive into the world of pretend wherever his  creative storyline takes us.

That's also what God desires of us is. He desires our quality time, our undivided attention. Quantity without quality, our presence, is like going through the motions. Like filthy rags.

Isaiah 64:6(NIV)
"All of us have become like one who is unclean,
 and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;
we all shrivel up like a leaf,
 and like the wind our sins sweep us away."

I'm guilty of giving God my filthy rags. Reading my devotional just to cross it off my to-do list, spending time on Facebook when God would love for me to put my phone down and soak up His word, maybe I did the dishes and then I'm too tired. But that is where God's grace comes in....

John 1:15-17 (NIV)
"(John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.  For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."

I am so grateful that my son extends grace to me. I am even more grateful for the grace my loving God has extended to me and to all us us. If only I saw myself through the same lens God and Jacob sees me through. Loved. Qualified. Covered in Grace. If only you saw yourself through God's lens. You can. Work in progess. Until the next bath.