The Laundry Room and The Lions' Den

I could share many confessions from my laundry room. Many fits thrown, many tears cried, many frustrations expressed. There is nothing special about this room other than I spend a disproportionate amount of my life there. (And it is right smack dab in the middle of the house making it kind of sound proof.)

But today I want to share a moment that happened in the laundry room that opened my eyes and filled my heart with thankfulness. We had been studying the story of Daniel in the Lions' Den (Daniel Chapter 6) with the kids and Eli had taken a special interest in the story. He has a stuffed lion he got for his first Easter and yes, he STILL takes that lion everywhere and sleeps with him. I've often said that I will probably be sleeping with that lion when Eli grows up and leaves me, but I don't know y'all. I think he will probably take it with him. :) Anyway, Eli had asked lots of questions about the story and we had discussed how Daniel was thrown in the lions' den because the only charge the rulers could find against him was praying to his God. Everyone usually focuses on the miraculous way that Daniel was delivered from the lions' den. Eli had a different focus.

He came to me as I was loading the washer and asked, "Did Daniel get thrown in the lions' den because he prayed everyday?" I answered, "Yes." Without skipping a beat he followed up with "Like we pray everyday?" And then it hit me. My precious baby boy had connected the dots in the story to his own life and feared that praying everyday might cause him the same fate. I was so thankful to be able to assure him that we live in a free country where we are free to pray whenever we like and as often as we like.

Today, I want to thank those who have served and are still serving in our military protecting our freedom. I am especially thankful for the religious freedom to read my Bible, pray to my God, and most importantly to teach these things not only to my own children, but to a church full of believers. My baby boy can pray without fear because of you.