Short Stories

A SIMPLE NO ON THE SOAP

by Debbie Kennedy
07/26/18
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I often find myself amused and refreshed when I get an opportunity to hang out with my granddaughters. Simplicity!  Little children…and conversations with them...they can make me smile, laugh, and at times raise my eyebrows.  I never know what their words might happen to stir within me?  Brynnley, our youngest grandchild, is two and loves to do everything herself. This sweet little one usually has more words that want to come out of her mouth than she knows what to do with. However, when she speaks slow in that confident little voice of hers, you can make out every one of her words.  And then we have our compassionate, smart, five-year-old granddaughter - Taytum Ann! She loves to talk as well. She’s a little sponge and amazes me with her conversations. Her curiosity consistently keeps her asking multiple questions. Perhaps you’ve recently been around one that loves to chat?!  At times of excitement and silliness, I’ve noticed that if Tay’s got a few people listening and laughing, she just keeps talking and creating stories. Hmm…I wonder if she’ll be an author –  or maybe just a great storyteller?!

Earlier this spring during a visit to Marysville, I was in my son’s master bathroom curling my hair - both of my granddaughters were soaking in the bathtub. We had traveled a few hours to visit and everyone in the household was getting ready for a planned trip to the bowling alley.  My daughter in law, Ali, had invited me to come in to use her mirror in the master bath while she was finishing her make-up. I listened to the girls giggling and chattering as they played in the tub with their bath toys.  I engaged in light conversation with Ali.  She left the oversized bathroom to gather clothes for the girls after we talked for a short bit. I finished fluffing my hair and continued to watch the girls play for 10 minutes or so.

Glancing at my watch and realizing it was 10:00 am – we had an 11:00 am bowling lane reserved- I asked the two-year-old, “Brynnley, are you going to use the soap?”

“No,” she answered simply in her vivacious little voice without looking up. She continued to play.

“You aren’t going to use the soap to get clean?” I playfully asked again.  My thought was she might want to do it herself.  I was just testing her you know…just making conversation that didn’t seem to interest her. Hah!

This time she looked up at me with her beautiful hazel eyes and simply again said, “No.”  Not one hint of a disobedient tone or gesture.

Of course, I pressed her further, “Why not, honey?” I asked, still curious to see what she would say.  “Don’t you want to be clean and smell fresh?”

Immediately after I spit that question out, the oldest – Taytum- looked up at me and responded in the sweetest, caring tone, “Gamma, just let Brynnley be who she is.”

My heart melted. “Oh honey,” I responded, “Brynnley can still be who she is and use the soap.” I chuckled to myself. Enough about the soap, I thought.

Ali returned from her room and back into the bathroom after the short conversation ended.  I walked out knowing that their mother would take charge with the soap and shampoo. Of course, after they came downstairs a short while later, I shared my “soapy conversation” with Ali and my daughter whom was visiting from California as well.  They laughed as well after I had explained how Tay had lovingly coming to her sister’s defense by telling me to just let Brynnley be.  Ali did inform us that Brynnley usually cries when she must have her hair rinsed -no wonder she didn’t want to discuss soap! Maybe soap is overrated in the toddler world…but darn it makes us smell good!

I thought about this conversation a couple of different times after the scene. I giggled about it again because it really reminded me about some important things when I thought about what each of the little ones said. I pondered how Brynnley simply said NO and didn’t at that point defend or tell me why or give her excuse. That action nudged at my heart. I remembered Jesus speaking about a simple No - Matthew 5:37 -Let your Yes be simply Yes, and your No be simply No; anything more than that comes from the evil one. I’ll confess that I’ve struggled with tendencies to feel the need to always explain the why’s of everything - especially on my NO answers! Anybody else?  The Lord continues to help me be more victorious in this area -no more people pleasing for me Lord!  If we know that God is pleased with our NO and we have peace, it does not always require further conversation.

Taytum’s response seemed to play repeatedly in my head- like a song…just let her be…let her be…. let her be…let her be…who she is! I think it was the compassionate tone to Tay’s voice that seemed to whisper to my heart. She asked me to just let Brynnley be – honestly, she might have just wanted me to leave them alone and quit asking questions?! We’ve all experienced that… you know, when we’ve had enough talk, right?  But, oh how these words of “just let her be” turned into a continued prayer in my heart for each of these precious little ones whom I love. I’m certain I will continue to learn more from them by simply watching and listening. Lord, continue to teach each of us to BE ALL that YOU created us to BE.

Whoever Becomes Simple Again. (The Message)

Matthew 18: 1-5 At about the same time, the disciples came to Jesus asking, “Who gets the highest rank in God’s kingdom?”

For an answer Jesus called over a child, whom he stood in the middle of the room, and said, “I’m telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square one and start over like children, you’re not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in. Whoever becomes simple and elementary again, like this child, will rank high in God’s kingdom. What’s more, when you receive the childlike on my account, it’s the same as receiving me.