The Love Train

I follow a few blogs. (Surprising, I know!) Today, I came across a beautiful idea to help children cope when they're having difficulty handling being separated from someone they love. The context was helping children cope when a parent can't be with them, but it could be applied to any separation. The blog is written by Lisa Qualls - you can read the entire post here. She writes about how difficult it can be for children from hard places to believe that their parents' love is constant, that even though they're apart, they are still loved. She shares a strategy called "the magical cord of love" which reminded me of "The Kissing Hand"!

We're expecting a lot of snow tonight, and Brian's going to leave really early for work tomorrow. It's been quite a few months since our early riser has slept through his daddy's departure - and we're praying he sleeps through it tomorrow. In light of everything we've dealt with in this department, we thought we'd forewarn the guy. So, we explained the circumstances and gave him something to look forward to (namely, that he'll get to see Brian at church). Inspired by Lisa's blog, we talked about the fact that we always love him, even when we're not together. I also encouraged him to draw a picture of him and Brian, joined with a rope of love - something tangible to help him remember. He drew a picture of the 2 of them on a train, and then he asked me to draw a heart in the center - he practiced a few hearts but couldn't get it quite right!

Notice how he and Brian are holding hands! So sweet. (Apparently Logan's the driver.) Here's hoping the message starts to sink in. It's such an important message, too. I so desperately want him to have the security of knowing that we love him no matter what. I'm convinced that kids can face a LOT in life if they have an unshakeable conviction that they are loved, that they are precious, and that the love we have for them is but a shadow of the great love of our Heavenly Father.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below - indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
~Romans 8:38,39 NLT