A Child's Prayer

A few weeks ago, my good friend (Eric) and his wife (Emalee) had their first child, Rachel. About a month or so before Rachel was born, I asked Eric, “Can I be Uncle Spencer?” His response, of course, was yes and every time I get to hold Rachel I’m glad that I get to be her uncle (even if it’s not by blood). When I was over at their home last week, Eric's dad said to me, "So you're the proud uncle?" and I had a definite "Yes" to that question.

Shortly after getting back from my vacation to Michigan and Toronto, I got to go see Rachel in the hospital and hold her for the first time. As I got to hold her for a time, while her parents were in a parent-prep class that the hospital was doing, I couldn’t help but think about where Rachel had been only days before, with our Heavenly Father.

I got wondering about that. How much did she still remember? If she could speak, what could she tell me about our Heavenly Home? The past week or so has been stressful for me in a way, but getting to hold that precious child has brought me some peace.

So clean and pure. So untainted by the world. Maybe that’s what Christ meant when He said to become as a child: “And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3) Being so fresh from the other side of the veil, Rachel seemed to me to be the most pure thing I have ever held. I am hopeful for her. I know her parents will teach her well and hopefully her uncle (me) will be able to teach her a little as well.