Mom, I'm Coughing!

HumorMD Jr is rapidly learning how to work the system. As most new parents do, we respond to every little cry and movement fairly rapidly. Consequently, he not only expects us to respond quickly to his needs, but he also will use our attentiveness against us. His best work by far is when he coughs.

Now, HumorMD Jr probably has coughed about four times in his entire life to date. Each one has been a full scale production. After each expectoration, he turns and looks at his mother as if the world has just ended. A small cry will usually follow and Mom or Dad comes running. In case you were wondering, he's always fine by the time we get there. He'll even usually break out a smile for our efforts once we reach him.

Mrs. HumorMD has dubbed this the "I'm coughing!" face, which I think is appropriate. What HumorMD Jr doesn't understand yet is that he doesn't have to break out the drama for us to pay attention to him. He'll be quite the actor if every bodily function is accompanied with this type of theatrics.

While most of you laugh at HumorMD Jr, you actually do the same thing. How many of us regularly do things that we believe we must do to get God's attention? We think we must act a certain way, choose a certain career, or obtain a certain level of piety. None of this is true of course. We are valuable to God because we are his creation made for a relationship with Him. That's it. In the same way, HumorMD Jr is valuable to me because he is my son. Nothing he does could change that.

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Luke 12:6-7

Remember where your worth lies and that nothing you do will increase or decrease it. There's no need to break out the "I'm coughing" face for God.


P.S. HumorMD Jr's GI tract conquered another outfit while I was writing this. If you thought the "I'm coughing" face was bad, you should see this...