A Long Arm

*Apologies to those ward members who have already heard a few of these sentiments. Record keeping. You understand.

I spent several years of my life sleeping in this bedroom, with this wonderful-beyond-description big sister.
She got me drinks of water in the middle of the night and taught me to pray about my bad dreams. And she sang to me.

Long before the time you can remember
Our Father held you in his arms so tender

Many years later, when I heard that song again at girls camp, I think I probably cried for twenty minutes. It was so nostalgic.

So, naturally, I was delighted to have a little girl of my own to sing to.

Those loving arms released you as he sent you here to earth
He said, "My child, I love you. Don't forget your great worth."

But for the last year or so, we've been stuck on When Joseph Went to Bethlehem (don't ask me why that is Lucy's favorite primary song) and for the last couple of months, we've often cut out bedtime songs altogether. Little brothers rock the boat like that.

Well, a few weeks ago I kept Lucy up later than usual. Gave her a bath after Spence was already asleep. Snuggled her in a towel and sang to her in the rocking chair.

Walk tall, you're a daughter, a child of God
Be strong, please remember who you are

"Again," Lucy whispered when I finished.

Try to understand, you're part of his great plan
He's closer than you know,
Reach up, He'll take your hand

After I sang that last line Lucy looked up at me, intent, "Mom, does He have a long arm?"

I hesitated a moment as her question sunk in. I didn't want to confuse her with images of disproportionate appendages. But I wanted her to know that God certainly has a long arm.

[He] is God, and [his] arm is not shortened; and [he] will show miracles, signs, and wonders to all those who believe on [his] name."

Lucy and I didn't have a long conversation that night in the rocking chair. It was late and she was tired. But I wanted to tell her about all the times in my life when I've felt far away. Hard to reach. The Peter-like moments when I've had cause to weep bitter tears of transgression. The anxious times when worry and uncertainty have threatened to gnaw straight through my heart. Times of loneliness. Times of grief. Times of self-doubt and insecurity. And I wanted to tell her how in every one of those times I have been reached by God's rescuing arm, strengthened, helped, upheld by his truly omnipotent hand.

Yes, Lucy, He has a long arm,"lengthened out all the day long."

He has "made the heaven and the earth by [his] great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for [him]."

Nothing too hard. No one too far. He can heal. He can help. He can correct, comfort, inspire, and purify. He can reach.