Beware that Pharisee in the Mirror

Tonight I realized being a pharisee can sneak up on you. 

That darn humanity and sinfulness. 

I was putting littler man down after nursing, and was holding him for a bit next to his crib. He likes to fuss, put his head this way, up, that way, suck thumb, mmmmm-ing and grumbling and gurgling in his wonderfully soft voice. After a couple of minutes, I started thinking of all the things I could be doing, and was about to put him down when I thought: what DO I have to do? 

Husband: home, reading to little man, who is all set for bed. 

Kitchen: good enough, dishes away, food in fridge. 

Toys: put away earlier by growing boy learning responsibility

Phone calls: made already, or too late

So what am I putting him down for? 

Now, I'm not against parents having down time, relaxing, or having something of their own to do. A moment of solitude? Take advantage. Recharge.

However

Sometimes 

You should hold your baby until he falls asleep

Because you can.

We want to be good stewards for our Lord with everything we have.  Money, time, resources, our children, each other. Yet it can so easily turn into Doing for the sake of doing, instead of Living in obedience and thankfulness. Rules for rules sake. 

Easy to forget in the everyday of life, that

 I can't earn my salvation, it has already been paid.

 I can't earn my Lord's love; I can only give what He's already given me. 

I've been provided with a home, money for bills, food, life, and love. I've been forgetting, though, about other gifts.

He gave me a baby boy who is already trying to walk, who is grumbling and gurgling and wanting to talk to me all day by climbing my pants and peeking over the couch cushions to give me a grin. 

Eight months and I've already gotten regrets about missing things. 

So. 

Tonight I held my baby.