She calls me "Dada"

My 10-month-old has been saying “Momma” for some time now, but she has just recently started saying “Dada.”  You would think this would be heartwarming, until you consider the context in which she addresses each individual parent. 

When she says “Momma” she uses it to communicate things like “Momma, please hold me,” or “Momma, I’m so glad to see you,” or “Momma, I want to snuggle.”  How cute and adorable.  On the other hand, when she says “Dada,” she uses it to communicate things like “Dada, how dare you put me in this car seat,” or “Dada, spring me from this pack and play,” or “Dada, while you think putting on clothes is merely a simple act, I in fact know it to be a form of torture comparable to waterboarding.”  With “Momma” it’s always something adorable.  With “Dada” it’s always “get me out of this.”

I don’t know about you, but I think a lot of my prayers work the same way.  I always call out to God when I need Him, usually to get me out of the consequences of my own poor choices.  However, in the times when He just wants a relationship with me, just wants to be there with me in my life, I tend to ignore Him.  I live my own life and then come to Him when I need something.  If you are a Christ-follower and you have some of the same tendencies I do, let’s remember how much God loves us.  Let’s pray to Him not only when we need Him to act on our behalf, but also when we simply need Him to come closer in our lives.