Bed-time with Big Brother.

One of the nights we were away, Caeden woke up shortly after bed-time with a nightmare. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` So I went to him and climbed into the hide-a-bed and snuggled up. I asked him what his nightmare was about. He told me that black stuff was going on his face and it was going to make him die. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` My heart just poured out. I didn't bother to tell him that when Joel died he went to heaven and how great that was. I didn't bother explaining how God was now taking care of Joel and giving him hugs. A four year old can't get comfort from concepts. He's a concrete thinker. And he can't feel God's arms concretely. He can only feel mine. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` So a place he's never been and a God he can't see with his eyes are not going to make him feel better. Is there anything more frightening when you are four years old, then thinking you'll be taken away from your mommy and daddy? `````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` Instead I explained to him. Mommy and Daddy have been so, so sad, missing Joel. It was very hard for them, when Joel went to heaven. God knows how very sad Mommy and Daddy are. God knows they need one of their little boys to stay here, with them so he can help them feel better. And so that they still have one little boy to love. Mommy is sure God will leave you here with us, because God knows it is too hard for us if we have no little boy at all. God wants you to stay here, with us. ````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` This was comforting to him. His little heart eased. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` And then I told him about his special angel. How the Bible said that little children have a very special angel in heaven. That special angel was always right there, looking into God's face. His special angel was always there, in God's presence. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` This pleased him. Then he asked me if I had a special angel too? ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` "I don't know," I replied, "The Bible just talks about children." ``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` He persisted "What about when you were little? Did you have a special angel then?" ``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` "Yes," I answered. "I guess I must have had one then." ``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` "So what happened to your angel, then?" ``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` Indeed, my little thinker. What did happen? I smiled briefly, as I pictured my angel headed toward the unemployment line on my 16th birthday, or in a reassignment office. ``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` I don't know if that special angel still is assigned to me or not. But surely, in any case, God has watched over me. He has always been here. I have never been abandoned or beyond His reach. Angel or no, that is what matters in the end.