Jesus In Our Crib

It was the middle of another sleepless night in a long line of sleepless nights and my daughter-in-law had one leg hoisted over the side of Weston the Wonder Boy baby bed when common sense prevailed. Carey conceded to herself that as much as she wanted to console her boy, the two of them simply weren’t going to fit in the close quarters. It should be noted that double bunking in Weston’s crib wasn’t Carey’s Plan A, or B, or C for that matter, but having sick kids– and Weston’s sisters were also under the weather– can lead a sleep deprived parent to consider extreme measures.

I speak from experience. Long years ago my own two toddlers came down with miserable cases of the chicken pox. Itchy sores covered their bodies and invaded their eyes, ears, and throats. It was misery times two. Our pediatrician prescribed oatmeal baths to ease their discomfort. And it worked. At first.

As relief became harder to come by, the baths began to lose their appeal. Team Tomlinson was in trouble. The troops were growing increasingly miserable and their exhausted leader was becoming increasingly desperate. Which accounts for that fond memory we three share of the time I found myself sitting in a late night oat meal bath with two despondent toddlers because they were convinced my presence would make it all better, and Lord knows our gang needed relief.

Carey and I were laughing over these stories the morning after her crib adventure, via text, when the sweetest of thoughts came to me. I reached for my phone and sent her another message that turned our laughter into praise.

“Jesus got in our oatmeal bath with us!” I wrote to Carey. “He got in our crib!”

Here’s how John said it in the Good Book. The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” John 1:14.

Granted, what Jesus Christ did for us goes far and beyond the loving parental gestures depicted in these stories. You and I were lost and alone and without hope in this world, eternally doomed without Him. There is no true comparison for that condition. And yet, I just love the tender pictures of that oatmeal bath and cramped crib.

Jesus joined us, to rescue us. Praise Him.

Hugs,
Shellie