Today we have a guest post from my friend Al Di Salvatore. Al has a stud little boy named Keane and has been married for 6 years. He’s planting a church in Maryland, and he’s a lover of all things involving Philadelphia sports, bless his soul. Check him out on Twitter and his blog. Enjoy his post and show some love in the comments.
More Please
I am not a good prayer, but I want to be.
The times when I talk to God the most are the times in my life when things go wrong.
When I need something, 
and to be honest,
when want something too.
I can sound like a real baby.
Speaking of baby…
When my son cries and makes a fuss,
I think to myself, “Yup, I can sound just like that.”
Lately he has been doing something that speaks louder than his cries.
It is something that gets my attention and my response.
My wife and I have been teaching him sign-language to help him communicate,
since he cannot form a vocabulary yet, other than Elmo, ball, and now hat.
The hand motions work well.
He moves his hands together in a point to say “More.”
and he has got that down especially when he wants Elmo cookies
(they are pretty good too, I have had some myself).
Recently he has learned to use the sign for “Please” (rubbing his stomach).
When he cries out of manipulation, not when he is hurt,
I have learned to tune it out until his crying spell has passed.
I do listen and respond when he motions the word “please.”
I cannot help it, compelled to answer his pleas.
The same way when he is crying for my attention,
there is this moment when he will just lift up his hands,
out of sheer desperation and surrender.
I pick him up,
carry him,
and kiss him.
I never understood why people would raise their hands in worship,
mostly I would do it because other people did it (or if there was a key change).
It is a spiritual communication that goes beyond cries and manipulation,
into a subtle language and a posture of the heart.
Maybe prayer is more about communicating with God,
than simply just trying to get his attention.
Maybe worship is less about getting what I want,
and more about surrendering.
Maybe this is what child like faith is all about.
Usually a Dad would want his son to be like him,
this time I have found myself wanting to be like my son.
Have you ever found yourself wanting to be more like your kid(s)?
