Easy As Taking Candy From a Baby

I have negative feelings about this picture. Who would want to be so selfish as to steal candy from a baby? Of course, it's easy to do unless your heart is cold. You just overpower them, but surely their distress would melt most hardened hearts.

 Don't turn away, now, just because you thought this would be an amusing post.  I have an intriguing point to ponder. If the child is young, and if we are gentle it is possible to get them to let go. Sometimes they do or have something that is downright dangerous for them. Violence, like as in force, and loud words makes the situation worse. So what do we do? Get down to their level, lower your voice and be patient. Okay, okay stop protesting that the situation calls for immediate action. Are you sure?                                                               
Because we as adults are so prone to rush about we may jump to that conclusion more often than we ought. 

Guideline number one is to build their trust. A child is more likely to give you something if you are calm and slow moving. This applies to much more than just taking away that round hard candy they could choke on. Let them have a taste but kindly say that it isn't safe for them and offer something better. They sense if we are concerned, and their reaction will match ours. 

I'm just going to throw in one more guideline before you rush about your busy day. Take the time to explain in simple, childlike terms as often as possible. It shows that you respect their feelings and helps them to learn. If they don't accept your answer try to be matter-of-fact about it and avoid arguing.

This applies all through their growing up but especially in the tender toddler years. Children are so impressionable and they will match our responses. 

Too hard? Jesus is our best Comforter and Guide.

Nothing Could Go Wrong...Could It?

Babysitting for a few hours, why that's a piece of cake, I've done it lots of times. Nothing could go wrong...unless you have a two-year-old who tries to (fortunately) ineffectively cut everything in sight. Or maybe the same little gal wants to use the seam ripper to pierce the clear table liner. No big deal, right? Or what if she and her brother get hold of the pepper grinder, pry the lid off and shake pepper on the floor and on their tongues. (Yes, that's why they were fanning their mouths and begging 'Grandma Lynn' for a drink.

Nothing too hysterical, yet, right, but what about the little guy who manages to burn his finger on the sewing machine light bulb while the babysitter, that's me! is preparing to fix his pants and will not stop whimpering even with the tenderest of care? Little sister was patting the chair and begging him to sit down beside her, and 'Grandma' was trying her own doctoring skills but with the same success. So what was the problem? Why the tears over a tiny burn? He wanted me to 'kill' the blister

Yes, today was a piece of cake, and it didn't even crumble much.

Based on a Disturbing Story

“What do I care if they are hungry?” Comrade Snezhana scoffed.  “We’ve put up with them all day long, and are taking a well-deserved break.”
Lyosha could hear whimpering down the long halls in the orphanage and it made her feel uncomfortable. She knew how little the children had to eat today, and it wasn’t any better yesterday, or last week either.

A half-hour later Comrade Roksana handed her a glass of wine to go with the expensive white chocolates that were topping off the meal but she felt too full or was it sick, to take another bite.
A child'’s fretful whimpers were turning into lusty wails. Lyosha knew she should go comfort Klava before Comrade Snezhana strode over there and started slapping her around. But Lyosha didn’t dare. She knew she had the reputation of spoiling the ‘brats’ and didn’t have the nerve to make a scene in front of the other comrades including hardened officers who were partying with them.

I suppose you are horrified that something like this really did happen in Russia during the war. Why is it that we can sympathize with physical needs and want to do something, yet hardly hear the hidden cry of our or their hearts?
How many children, young people, and others are starving spiritually while those of us that should be helping are feasting on what the world has to offer and barely take enough spiritual manna to keep our own souls alive?
When’s the last time we have had a truly satisfying hour of studying the Bible? When is the last time we fasted, not to be seen of men, but because we had such a deep longing to pray, that food or earthly pleasures just didn’t seem important? I fall so far short but pray that I can do better!