MomSense Monday: On Heat and Shadows

Lessons I Learned from My Kids (When I Was Supposed To Be Teaching Them)
     He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1
On Heat and Shadows
     One particularly hot Sunday morning, when Jimmy was around 4 years old, I was detained on the way to signing Jimmy in to his Sunday School class. While I chatted with a friend, I watched Jimmy in front of me, looking like he was dancing his own version of the “Hokey Pokey” in the middle of the church courtyard. He lifted his right arm over his head, then straight out to his side. Then he stuck his right foot in front of him, then out to his right. He did the same thing with his left foot.
     When I was done with my conversation, I began to walk toward the Children’s Building, and Jimmy was intently watching the ground as he maintained an even distance ahead of me. Thinking to outwit him, I began to slowly walk in a zigzag path, and sure enough, he maintained the distance between us, but I remained behind him.
     When I stopped, he stopped. When I zigged left, he zigged left. When I zagged right, he zagged right. Finally, my curiosity got the best of me. “Jimmy, what are you doing?” I asked.
     “I figured something out,” he replied, without turning to face me. “Look at your shadow, Mommy,” he instructed. “Can you see my shadow?” he inquired.
     “Nope,” I replied, “I don’t.”
     “Now watch,” he commanded as he raised his hand over his head. “Now, do you see my shadow?” he questioned.
     “Well, I see the shadow of your hand,” I answered.
     “Well,” he continued matter-of-factly, “every time I can see any part of my shadow, I can feel the hot on that part of my body that’s not in your shadow. So, I’m staying in your shadow so I don’t feel the hot!”
     Then he “followed” in front of me to his Sunday School class, making sure he was protected from “the hot” by staying in my shadow.

Any part of ourselves that is not in the shadow of the Almighty will definitely “feel the hot”.