MOTHERHOOD: What my baby taught me about prayer

I told my husband that Dayton is already showing some of his personality. He is definitely not a passive little man. He will let you know when he needs something. I guess most babies do but I have a feeling my baby has some assertive ways of doing it.

When he cries, I get really disturbed and sometimes frustrated. This morning, I felt tempted to get frustrated and I realized why some mommies lose their cool and shake their babies. (I didn't shake my baby, for the record).

So, I tried to feed him but he's full. I tried to burp him but that's not what he needs. I carried him, still fussy. Finally, I went to check his diaper and saw that he needed changing. He pooped.

When he realized that I understood what his problem was, he started to relax and smile.

It must be frustrating to be a baby too: can't talk except for the monotonous "waaaahhh" and you have to be extra patient 'til your mom/dad discovers what you're "waaaahh-ing" about.

It was when I was changing his diaper that I thought to myself, "Hmmmm....this baby is an effective communicator. He won't stop 'til mom/dad responds."

I mean, what would happen if my baby stopped crying and making his needs obvious? What if he suddenly decides to just wait 'til mommy feels like "feeding me or changing my diaper or burping me?" He will starve to death and stink! God knows how I like to be free sometimes and not have to worry about a baby!

Then I realized, "I haven't been crying enough to my "Father" lately. By this, I mean prayer.

Sometimes (such as this time), I can take prayer for granted and wait it out. I mean, it's good to wait upon the Lord, but that doesn't mean stop praying.

On the contrary, Jesus encourages much prayer -- even relentless prayer. I can only refer to the parable of the Persistent Widow in Luke 18 and Jesus' teaching on prayer in Luke 11. Jesus himself displayed this persistence in prayer life with "loud cries and petition" to God (Heb 5:7).

Dr. Sears, author of "The Baby Book", suggested that babies are created so cute so that we can't bear to see them suffering or crying for a long time. As parents, they trigger certain kinds of hormones in us such that we feel sad when they are sad, and disturbed when they cry. Even my breasts respond when he cries or when it's time to feed him (breastfeeding moms know what I'm talking about).

I thought...hhhmmmm...may be that's why we're fearfully and wonderfully made. We certainly are made in God's image too. I'm pretty sure He can't resist us either when we cry to him with loud cries and petitions.

I smiled back at my baby and actually thanked him for teaching me a valuable lesson about prayer. Then I carried him and kissed him. And as I write this article, he is sleeping peacefully.