The Gospel and baby monitors

 When you spend your days at home with a little one and a dog you find yourself thinking...a lot. Mainly thinking about how you really need to get out and do something for the sake of your sanity and your baby's.

 But the other day I couldn't help but realize an interesting similarity between baby monitors and the Gospel. Since Luke's second week of life we have been loosly following some of the guidelines found in the book, "Baby Wise". One thing we have been working on is helping Luke learn the difference between night and day, play time and nap time, and day sleep between night sleep. Often times we use associations to help lul our little ones to sleep; which in the beginning it seemed that was our only choice. Marc or I would rock Luke to sleep then gingerly place him in his crib and try to sneak out without making a peep. This often would last about ten minutes until Luke startled himself awake and began crying. In the book it talks about helping your baby learn to go to sleep on their own....without something that they need to help them go to sleep; rocking, nursing, cuddling, ect. You create a bedtime ritual that they begin to know and find comfort in (bath, dinner, diaper change, lullabye or book), then place them in their crib dozy but awake, give them a kiss, say you love them and then walk out. I've read in a few different books that some babies need to cry a little to go to sleep; let off some steam. If the crying continues for 3-5 minutes you go in and check on them, making sure that all of their needs are met. Comfort them from in their crib, give them loves, and leave again once they have calmed down and are no longer crying. If crying starts again you go back in 3-5 minutes to check on them...ect. This really only goes on for about a minute, but for a new mother it can feel like an eternity. Within a couple of days Luke was going to sleep for his naps and at night all on his own.


So what do baby monitors and the Gospel have in common?

For my birthday Marc bought me a video baby monitor, because through this process it was hard for me to not rush in and check on him with any little grunt, squwak, or cry. The video monitor was my saving grace as I could see him and new he was safe and just fine.




The other day Luke was having a rough time napping; waking up every 30 minutes or so. I would go in to see his sad face and pouty lip which nearly broke my heart. I would then comfort the tears away, make sure he was safe and his needs were met and then leave. About ten minutes later he would start crying again. I went into his room, stroked his head and sang him his favorite lullabye. Once he was settled down before leaving the nursery I said to him, "Luke, mommy loves you very much. She can see you and she knows you are safe. Just because you can't see me doesn't mean you are alone."
As I left his nursery I couldn't help but think that this is what our Heavenly Father says to us, "I know that you cannot see me, but you are not alone. I know that you are safe and I will be there for you in your time of need. But there are some things that you need to learn. It may be hard at first but I am there with you and I love you."

Heavenly Father has his own little video monitor for each and every single one of us. We are never alone even if we feel we may be. He will never ask us to go through something that we cannot overcome and he will never ask us to do it alone. He provides for us the Comforter, the Holy Ghost. And he always hears our prayers..our cries...when we are in need.

There is something that is amazing and eye opening when you become a parent. Finally for the first time in your life you are able to feel in the smallest degree the great and endless love that our Father in Heaven has for each and every single one of us. He is always aware of us, and we are never alone.