Lessons in Poop

I don't know anyone who likes to be sick. Especially the curl-up-in-a-ball-and-wish-you-were-dead stomach ache sick. I can handle throwing up...I don't love it, but once you throw up, things usually get better. But it is when the sick is in limbo that I have a problem.

Is the sick here to stay for a while? Is it supposed to come out? And if so, which end? I hate that. It is even worse when it is my child because they aren't able to really communicate where the pain is.

One of my children woke up this morning screaming bloody murder. (I would tell you which one but she this child is really private and wouldn't like to be identified.) We are talking shatter-the-window screaming. It was a joy to wake up to...really hope that happens more often.

She This child was obviously in a lot of pain, but at that point there wasn't much that I could do for her them. I tried rubbing her back, but that wasn't helping. I asked if she had considered praying for help. She asked me to say it,(because the screaming still hadn't stopped.) and so I just asked that whatever was that was hurting her, would pass through her quickly.

The next thing I know, I hear, "Please let it be poop. Please let it be poop. I want it to be poop!!" recited and repeated over and over again.

It is not often that you hear this kind of plea coming from ANYONE. I was tempted to show her the gagging trick just to speed along the process. But that little trick could come back and haunt us both later, so I held my tongue.

After forever passed (it was actually a few minutes but high pitch screaming tends to make things seem longer than they actually are) I hear this:

"Please, Heavenly Father. I beg of you! Why don't you ever answer me? Please, let it come out. Why are you making me hurt like this. Please...PLEASE!"

At this point I sat down by her and explained that He was indeed listening to her. "He made our bodies, which are pretty amazing things. When there is something is in our body that will make it sick, our bodies work really hardtot get it out. So even though it hurts, He is answering your prayers."

I thought that her last prayer was an interesting one. How often, do we, as His children, beg Him to remove our pain because it hurts too much. We are so focused on the present hurting that we can't see the amazing process that is happening in our lives. We can't see His hand in our suffering.

He is there and knows what is best. We may pray "Let it be poop," which may translate into something like, "Let me find a job." or "Tell me what to do with this kid." I know I sometimes tell the Lord what to do to make my life better. But He may see that throwing up is better, or that a little bit of cramping will bless me later on with empathy. Whatever the case may be, He will help us out.

So this morning, I thank my daughter child for teaching me a lesson about suffering and prayer.