Something unnerving happened Sunday night, and I’m still somewhat disturbed.
My family took a few days’ escape to spend some time together up in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the Mall of “the ‘Merica” - as my five-year old insisted on calling it.
Sunday we woke up early, had Froot Loops for breakfast (because sugar cereals are a must in hotels!), and were swimming in the pool by 8:30AM.
After swimming for an hour, we all showered and got ready to go to church at a pastor friend of ours’ church. Afterwards, we swung through a drive-thru for lunch and headed back to our hotel. We attempted naps and then headed over to the M.O.A. to meet up with those same friends for some rides and supper.
We averaged one ride an hour as the crowds were thick and the lines were long. Supper was delicious, the fellowship encouraging, and the run back to our hotel across the skywalk and through two parking lots, exhilarating.
The kids were full, spent, and “wound for sound" as they had consumed their weekly sugar quota - in one day alone.
After the typical bedtime chaos that ensues with getting ready for bed, everyone settled into their makeshift beds on the pull-out, chair, and floor, and we said our Bedtime Prayers.
It wasn’t quite bedtime for us, however, so Jeremiah and I watched some Netflix in the other room. A little over an hour later, I got up to go to the bathroom and checked on the children again. I found them all sound asleep and smiled as I tucked them in once more.
As I crawled back in bed, Jeremiah heard a door close - the sound coming from our rather loud hallway. He asked me if I had checked the door to make sure it was locked and latched. I realized that I hadn’t, so I got up to do so.
I walked right past my sleeping children and locked and latched the door. As I was walking past the pull-out, I felt the need to verify that everyone was accounted for … to “check the bed.”
And in the dark room with the blinds drawn, I realized that our second oldest, Josiah, was NOT in his bed where he was sound asleep only moments before!
Just like that … he was gone!
Distress welled up in my voice and I cried out, “Jeremiah!”
I couldn’t even form words … but thankfully, 13 years of living together as husband and wife filled in the blank. I was able to get out, “Josiah’s not in here!” at the exact moment my husband was rushing out of the room. I watched him sprint out of the room - wearing only his t-shirt and underwear - in which I called out after him, “You’re in your underwear!”
I guess desperate means really do call for desperate measures…
He sprinted down the hallway to the elevators and I stood in the hotel doorway - frozen - not exactly knowing what to do.
Jeremiah was out of sight and calling out for Josiah. I heard a whimper and yelled out to Jeremiah from down the hallway that I had heard him. Jeremiah returned within sight and then out of sight again - running down another hallway. He returned carrying our 7-year-old in his arms - shirtless and still “sleepwalking.”
Jeremiah brought him back into the hotel room and we just stared at each other - in somewhat of a shock. Our 7-year-old had just sleepwalked out of our hotel room in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota!
He laid Josiah back in his bed and tucked him in and we both verified the door was completely secure before returning to bed.
I recognized in that moment the following things:
First of all, I was deeply thankful that my husband heard that door close. Our door!
I was thankful that he asked me to check the door and I was thankful that I heeded.
I was thankful that I felt the need to “check the bed” after I had locked and latched the door.
And ultimately, I was thankful - grateful - for the Spirit of God that spoke to us so loudly and clearly in Room 405 on Sunday night. Had He not, Josiah would have been two hallways down from us (for who knows how long!) shirtless and sleepwalking.
We’ve all experienced those situations and scenarios in our parenting where you can’t explain it, but the need to “check the door” or “check the bed” checks overtake you.
And how the storylines drastically change when we listen!
Although common-sense, discernment, and Godly-wisdom go a long way, there is one thing I don’t want to ever leave the house without … and that is the Spirit of God!
The Bible says,
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it.”
Isaiah 30:21
This “voice” is the Holy Spirit - the Spirit of God. And boy, we desperately need the Spirit of God to speak to us in our mothering. We need to be able to hear His voice loud and clear.
Just like I can’t imagine parenting without Jesus in my heart and home, I can’t imagine doing the daily rhythms of life without the help of the Holy Spirit.
“Just like I can’t imagine parenting without Jesus in my heart and home, I can’t imagine doing the daily rhythms of life without the help of the Holy Spirit.”
The Bible says,
And I [Jesus] will ask the Father [God], and he [God] will give you another Helper [the Holy Spirit], to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth. (brackets mine)
John 14:16-17a
What a promise!
We have access to the Holy Spirit - the Helper - in our mothering! And I urge you to heed (which means pay attention to or take notice of) His voice!
Early on, you might find yourself wanting to talk yourself out of those “check the bed” checks. Reasoning will say, I literally checked on everyone a minute ago and they were all accounted for! Where could they have gone??
But the Spirit of God will speak - just like He spoke to both of us Sunday night - because He was aware that Josiah had left the room. And because we paid attention to and took notice of that voice, we found our sleepwalking child!
And if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years of tuning my heart to hear the Holy Spirit, it’s this: the quicker I listen and the sooner I obey, the louder and clearer His voice becomes.
And truth be told, His voice is one that can be trusted … He is Truth, after all.
Although it was disturbing to have a sleepwalker in a hotel in the 16th-largest city in America, there was something so comforting about the whole story. It was the fact that we heard and heeded the “check the door” and “check the bed” checks that the Holy Spirit impressed on our hearts. And because of that, Josiah is safe to sleepwalk with us another day!