"Señor Chatterbox"

Allow me to introduce you to the sweetest sound I hear ALL day long. This is my precious Jacob. He has been known by other names throughout his 3 1/2 years. For a short while he was affectionately known as Taz. I think he got that name shortly after the vaseline and baby powder incident. For his entire 3 years he has been known to his brothers as "my baby." He is also stinker, little stinker, buddy, little man and this week he is Señor Chatterbox. Jacob has always been loud and no one in our house ever seems to be at a loss for words, but recently I have discovered how much Jacob loves to talk. I think it is because there is no one left at the house to talk to but Mommy. We have some amazing conversation. Well, actually it is more like ONE amazing conversation from the time we wake up until the time we go to bed. Don't get me wrong, I love the sound of that precious voice. There could not be a cuter voice in the whole world. I love that he wants to share every detail of all that he sees, hears, feels and thinks with me. I love that when he doesn't have the answer he says, "I can't know." One day all too soon, I am afraid that little voice will grow into the voice of a man and that little boy that pours out his heart to his mommy will share his deepest thoughts with someone else, but for now I will cherish and enjoy it. It makes me think that when Jesus said, "Pray Continually" he too enjoys hearing the voice of His children. Have you ever thought that we are the sweetest voice He has ever heard? He delights in the praises of His children. He wants to have an amazing continuous conversation with us ALL day EVERYday. My fear though, is that much like Jacob we only talk His ears off when there is no one else to talk to, no one or nothing else to distract us. We talk to everyone that is around, we exhaust the list of people on our cell phone list and when there is nothing on TV and our ipod is dead, then we talk to HIM. I love to hear Jacob say, "Hey Mommy..." And I know that my Father loves to hear me say, "Hey Father, Papa, Abba, Daddy..." followed by whatever is on my heart. He already knows, but He loves to communicate with His children. He never tires or grows weary of hearing the sound of my voice. So often we think of "prayer" as such a formal, churchy word. It becomes something we do or we say. Prayer is defined as simply "a form of communication." Talking is a form of communication. Jesus desires for us to "talk" to Him all the time. It is not something to be crossed off our list of things to do, but rather a means of knowing and being known by our Savior intimately. We learn every detail and every inmost thought and feeling by communicating with someone. That is the relationship we desire with the one who gave His life for us and that is the relationship He desires from us as well. Just as Jacob has affectionately become my little Señor Chatterbox we too need to desire that nickname from our heavenly Father as we continually pour our heart out to Him All day Everyday!!