Advent ABC's: Kick Against the Goad

He marched into the office where Pepa and I were working on our computers. Came right over to my chair and spun me around, and proceded to climb up into my lap. He didn't say a word. He didn't have to. It's Wednesday evening at 6:30. He needed a nap. It had been the same last week, but then we had loaded into the car to head for church. I finished buckling him in and was just getting into my seat when he asked, "Would it be all right if I slept on the way?" We hadn't gone two blocks before he was fall over the seat asleep.

So tonight, with his head nestled into my shoulder, I began to rock in my chair and sing the ABC Lullaby:
Apples for babies, cats, and dogs. Elephants, foxes, giraffes and hogs. Ice cream. Jelly beans. Kangaroos and llamas. Monkey's nose. Ostrich toes. Penguins quietly race on snow. Turkey umbrellas. Violin's wings. Xylophones. Yo-yos. Zebras.

I probably sang it about ten times and I stopped to listen to his deep, rest-full breaths. Down for the count.

The ABC Lullaby is something I came up with right after the birth of our granddaughter six years ago. I sang it to her every day of her first six months. Then she and her mommy moved and started a new life. They added a baby brother to their family and he heard the song, but not nearly as much. But it was the third grandchild who has owned the song as his.

A few weeks ago, he seemed so tired and out of sorts that I pulled him onto my lap and started to sing--hoping for both our sakes that he would fall asleep. He wanted no part of it. He put his hand over my mouth to keep me from singing. He looked up and tiredly explained, "I don't want to sleep."

Isn't that just like us? We know what we need, but hold up our hand, telling loved ones and maybe even God that we really don't want it. We don't want to change. We don't want to give or forgive. We don't want move on. We don't want to try. We just can't right now. We know in our heart of hearts we really do, so why not give in, give up, go on? What song have you been fighting against hearing? What message have you tried to avoid?

Today's Advent ABC letter is K. For some reason the phrase, "Kick agains the goads" came to mind. It's not a phrase we hear or use much these days. It refers to the poke or prod that is given to move or direct cattle or donkeys. It can be pretty sharp and painful for the animal being directed, and often they will rear up or kick up against the poke.

Sometimes the pokes or prods come gently as a word from a friend, but sometimes it's more like smack upside the head. What will it take to get your attention? And will you listen, move, obey? Aren't you tired of fighting, of kicking against the goads?