Day 12: INSEPARABLE
Miserable & Mad
Our 9-pounds-with-a-90-pound-attitude cat, Dusty, came home from the vet on Tuesday, sporting a bright green splint.
She is miserable.
And mad.
At me.
For “doing this to her.”
Oh, how I wish she could speak my language!
- I want to explain to her what happened: she dislocated a bone.
- Why I did what I did: allowed the vet to anesthetize, Xray, and cast her so she’ll heal.
- Why I’m doing what I’m doing: keeping her confined to the laundry room.
But she doesn’t speak my language.
So I’m speaking hers: Holding her. Petting her.
She understands holding and petting. If only she understood more!
Baby Talk
When a baby is learning to talk, how much “grown-up language” does she understand? Not much.
How much “baby talk” do her parents understand? A whole lot!
In Annemarie’s baby book, I recorded hundreds of “translations” from her “baby talk” to “grown-up language.”
“Gaggie” meant “blankie.”
“Gunk” meant “milk.”
Oh, I spoke her language well!
Grown-Up Language
Annemarie just turned 21. She hasn’t used words like “gaggie” or “gunk” for years. In fact, I’m constantly giving her props for using wonderful words in everyday conversation.
Why am I daily thrilled by her extensive vocabulary?
True, as her verbal skills expanded, Annemarie expressed herself more precisely. But I didn’t need her to speak my language in order to understand her.
When she was little, it was Annemarie who needed to learn my language so she could understand me.
I had so much I wanted to tell her about myself! So much I knew she would understand better if only she could speak my language!
“Grown-up language” allows breadth, depth, and nuance impossible with baby talk.
Learning His Word
When first I saw Deb Roy’s TED talk The Birth of a Word, I was deeply moved by the precious one-minute “time lapse audio” segment of a child learning his first word.
(Can’t see the video? click here to view 1.5 min. segment on YouTube)
(If the 1.5 minute video segment does not function, click here for the full video and watch from 04:19 to 05:50.)
Each time I’ve played this segment at a women’s retreat, the audience reacts the same way during the clip: listening in rapt attention, leaning forward as if to coax the child along somehow, smiling at each other as “baby talk” gives way to “grown up language.”
And responses at the end are always the same: We burst out in spontaneous applause and celebration!
Yes, he nailed it!
Is this is how God sees me as I am learning His Word?
- Listening, leaning forward, cheering as I “nail it”?
- Now He can tell me so much more about Himself!
- Now I will understand Him so much better!
A One-Way Language Barrier
(Can’t see the image? Click here to download Romans 8:39)
God allows nothing – not even my failure to grow up and leave baby talk behind – stand in the way of His love to me.
He’s always stooped to speak my language, my “baby talk.”
But limited by baby talk, I’ve misunderstand Him much of my life.
I’ve been miserable and mad, blaming Him for “doing this to me.”
While He was longing to tell me all about Himself!
- About what’s happened.
- Why He’s done what He’s done.
- Why He’s doing what He’s doing.
Always, He’s held me and comforted me, wishing “If only she understood more!”
Fluent in God’s Word
When I was a child, I memorized scripture for two reasons: recognition and prizes. Oh, how I loved my rows of gold stickers! And my Oriental Trading Company “Jesus junk”!
When I got older, nobody offered me gold stickers. My motivation gone, I stuck with “baby talk”: My thoughts. My feelings. My perceptions. My way. Oh, My. Me. My!
But now that I’m immersing myself in God’s Word as the way out of my self, I’m discovering that it’s the vocabulary for His “grown up” language!
- The more I nail it, the less constrained we are by mere “baby talk”!
- The more I learn His word, the more He reveals Himself, and the better I understand Him!
- The more I conversational I become in His Word, the less miserable and mad I am.
The better I’m understanding what’s happened.
Why He’s done what He’s done.
Why He’s doing what He’s doing.
And the more I’m experiencing the breadth, depth, and nuance of his limitless love!
Leave a comment!
- responding to today’s blog, and/or
- sharing your Day #1-12 experience of replacing “baditude” with God’s word and gratitude, and/or
- anything else on your heart!
Thank you for this analogy and for reminding us how important it is to be in God’s word. Our lives depend on learning God’s language. Connie Y
I hope that you hear me. I one day will speak your language. I am a little slower at remembering but with daily practice I will put every word into my heart. So that when I speak people will see that with you (LORD) all things are possible.
That was touching, don’t stop! God bless, and amen!!
Thank you for this post…I need to be better at memorizing Scripture. I can paraphrase bug I dont remember book,chapter or verse. My language skills need to grow up
Oops, forgot to sign my post
Heidi J
Thank you for this.
Thank you for all of your postings. They are helpful and enlightening. I look forward to reading them very day.
Awesome, awesome post! What a great way to compare our level of understanding God’s way to our own; to compare His language to our own. Very eye opening! I am going to print this one out and put it somewhere that I see it everyday to remind myself to keep trying to grow and get past the “baby talk” and try and understand His word more!
It keeps getter better and deeper. Fear I have the mind of a 9 pound cat at times but striving for full grown-up status 🙂 so that I can consistently experience the “breadth, depth and nuance of His limitless love” and purr like Dusty. Thank you, Cheri.
These have been some great posts, thanks for doing this!!
Someone once said to me that perhaps we sound like babies crying to God. We don’t talk to Him like we talk to others. He is the only One that we should be able to pour our hearts out to. Memorizing His word is one of the best ways to communicate with Him. Hiding His word in our hearts.
I am totally replacing my baditude. I don’t complain nearly as much. I really am watching myself and I’m learning to replace with Scripture!
Loved the video! It reminds of my son growing up. We would have no clue what he was saying but he did. When we would ask him what he was saying he would repeat the exact same thing.
I SO appreciate the opportunity to adjust my attitude with you!! I am especially enjoying aligning with the Word as a source of truth and life!!
I use to memorize scripture but now at 63 years, I have trouble and I give up to easily. I just need to remind myself of my prize for remembering them. God’s praise!
I think memorizing scripture is so important but I always find myself really into it for about a week and then I stop. How do you keep up with it? Any suggestions? Natalie
Keeping Gods word close does work…..I know the scripture cards are an added tool besides reading my bible but when I am at work …they are awesome…
learning…
I’m feeling quite motivated to stop grumbling, thank you! These challenges have made me aware of how much I really was focused on my circumstances and not keeping my eyes on Jesus.
Sometimes we don’t know why and what God is doing, but He knows and has a purpose and reason. Here’s a link to a song. You can copy and paste it in your browser. I love the words to this song and thought it may encourage you all too!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ehUz1nUhu4
Thanks for doing this challenge!!!
~Sarah
I love the video clip. Having 4 boys I remember some of the “baby talk” they used and I don’t really remember when they quit using that word for the grown up word. I bet God remembers if and when I quit using my “baby talk” for his grown up words.
Very neat and eye opening post! Thank you! I have never thought about it like that before!
Thanks for doing this challenge and for the awesome giveaways.
I didn’t realize how much complaint was in my life.
M of Melissa Musings Blog
http://hugapoohlouise.wordpress.com
I hope I get to receive this!!!! It would be a great!!!