Praying For Poop

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Philippians 4:6

It's been a big part of my life since the day our first child was born. Poop. First, we were overwhelmed by how much one tiny baby could produce. Then, we worried if we had a day without it. We would study with curiosity the color, consistency and size of it and then realize only a parent would spend so much time doing so! At one point, we had two super poopers in diapers. Our first two daughters are only nineteen months apart so we were on double diaper duty for almost eight months. Then we reached the age of potty training, and had to teach each of them to put the poop somewhere other than their diapers or training pants. It took a little more convincing with daughter number two, but we successfully taught them both to do the deed in the "big girl" potty amidst celebratory cheering that rivaled the Super Bowl.

Baby Girl #3 is a different story all together. With her food allergies, her poop is...well, we'll just call it interesting to spare you the intimate details only her father and I can discuss over dinner without gagging or losing our appetites. For eight months now, we've dealt with her "blow-outs," as we call them, on a regular (sometimes daily) basis. Specifically, for the past two weeks, I've had to get the other two dressed and started on breakfast before retrieving Olivia from her bed. I always know what I'm in for by the stench, or lack thereof, from the hallway. If my nose goes on high alert, I get the shower started and then bathe her from head to toe. It's not a great way to start the day for either of us, but when you're totally in love with your child, you adjust.

Last night, I was tired. I mean, physically tired, but also tired of cleaning up poop. I don't mind diapers and potty chairs, but on the bed? The sheets? The carpet? The walls? That I mind! So, I prayed. And, the prayer went something like this: Father, thank You for the gift of Olivia. Thank You for the way You have made her. I know You made her this way to glorify You. I'm not going to beg You to heal her because I know You will in Your own time. I am asking You for something that seems hard to talk to You about, although I know You see all and know all and You know this, too. Father, could You please keep the poop in the diaper? It can't be healthy for her to wake up like this every morning and, it isn't fun to clean it up, either. Whether Your answer is "yes" or "no," I trust You and know that You want me to come to You with ALL things. Thanks for letting me come to You with this. Amen.

It wasn't a fancy prayer but it was heartfelt. I wasn't desperate but ready to let God take over. I had done all I could think of to make the situation better and was out of ideas and energy. Guess what? The poop was in the diaper this morning, praise the Lord! We had a regular diaper change. I didn't have to don a hazmat suit to pick her up. No bath, no change of clothing, no extra linens to wash this morning. It was a miracle right there in our home! Praise God!

Now, some of you are giggling and cracking up that I just spent all this time writing about poop and it's place in my life. But, that's where the real miracle happened for me. God has been whispering to me all day about little things that He wants me to turn over to Him. Things that seem too mundane or common place to bother Him with. Things that are almost embarrassing to admit are hindering my walk. Things that should be called sin but I call them something else. He wants it all. Every thought, every feeling, every poopy diaper or stinky situation. He wants me to talk to Him about all of it and then wait for His answer. He wants me to pray for poop...and running out of milk, and trying not to eat so much chocolate, and not rolling my eyes in disrespect, and all the other little things that I so easily sweep under the rug. So, I'm going to try. But, I'll always remember it started with poop.