The Power of Our Voice

My seven month old is currently discovering the power of her voice. Up until this point, she has been a very laid-back baby; hardly ever cries to let us know if something is amiss. She'll usually go longer between feedings and changes then she needs to.

Case in point, the other day was witching hour at our house: nap time. Getting two kids down at the same time requires more energy than I ever realized. I usually pick one and get that child down, then move on to the next. The two-year-old is usually first because his nap time is more consistent each day.

After getting him down, I sat next to my daughter and played for a little while. She seemed okay the whole time we played, until she wasn't. She started whimpering, looking at me and then used her new found skill, her voice, to let me know sometime was wrong. I picked her up, she wiggled and didn't stop talking to me. She wanted my help, so she let me know. I finally connected the dots and placed her down for a nap. The look she gave me as I set her down told me how grateful she was for my help and that I was able to finally understand her.

Walking downstairs, I realized this is how Heavenly Father must feel sometimes. We are our own agents, always being watched over by a loving parent. However, no matter how much He loves us, He will not help us unless we communicate our needs to Him. We need to take the time to kneel in prayer to Him.

It's not that He doesn't want to help us; we need to want the help as well. We have been given that choice through our agency. Once we know He's there, just like my daughter, we communicate our gratitude for all He does and continues to do for us.

It's amazing the things you can learn from a seven-month-old.