A Safe Place to Say, “Good Night”

Posted on by Michele Morin

Boy #4:  What’s for breakfast in the morning?

Me:  Pancakes.  Why?

Boy #4:  I just like knowing what I have to look forward to.  Good Night.

I was reminded of that conversation and my smile in the darkness of a little boy’s bedroom as I read Good Night, Little Love by Laura Neutzling.  Her comforting story about a tired little rabbit and his wise and loving mummy is accompanied by endearing illustrations by Anna Currey that bring to life Mother Rabbit’s tucking-in tale with watercolor and ink, sunshine and shadows, shimmering stars and a cozy bunny’s bed beneath a sheltering tree.

Who wouldn’t want to go to bed with visions of a wonderful tomorrow?  Maybe one of the reasons that some children resist bedtime is that it feels so much like the end of everything.  Good Night, Little Love is more than a board book bedtime story — it’s a primer for parents who want to weave tales of hope as they tuck their children in for the night.  What friends will we see tomorrow?  Will we skip stones and stop to smell roses like the little bunny or will tomorrow be full of library books and paint brushes? The play ground and a walk with the dog?  A trip to the grocery story and guests for dinner?

Making plans for tomorrow gives a sense of security, an opportunity for whispered and loving conversation,  and it also sets the stage for a bedtime prayer that acknowledges the sovereignty of God, that asks for His guidance and protection, and that thanks Him for all the good things that He has made and that we enjoy.

The sweetest dreams come to little people who know that they are loved — by their parents and by the God who made them.  It is no surprise, then,  that foundational truth can sound almost like a lullaby.

 

This book was provided by Tommy Nelson, a division of Thomas Nelson Publishers, through the BookLookBloggers program in exchange for my review.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Published by Michele Morin

Michele Morin is a Bible teacher, writer, reader, and gardener committed to the truth that women can become confident Christ-followers and students of God's Word. She has been married to an unreasonably patient husband for thirty-plus years, and together they have four sons, four daughters-in-love, and six adorable grandchildren. Michele loves hot tea and well-crafted sentences, poems that stop her in her tracks, and days at the ocean with the whole family. She laments biblical illiteracy and advocates for the prudent use of “little minutes.” She blogs at Living Our Days, and you can connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

17 thoughts on “A Safe Place to Say, “Good Night””

  5. Michele- This made me remember tucking in my kids at night when they were little. They would consistently ask, “What are we doing tomorrow?” And when I told them the plans, I could see them relax. This sounds like a sweet book – and I loved your reflections on it. Thanks for sharing! Keep writing, and Happy New Year!

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  7. I love this book. I’ve read it often, over the years. My children also liked knowing tomorrow’s plans as I tuck them into bed. I lost my father, a couple of months ago, to Alzheimer’s. But before he was too far gone for these conversations, he told me he could rest peacefully because he knows what the future holds, he knows what he’ll wake up to. Just like that little rabbit, when we rest knowing what tomorrow brings, we can rest with peace. I hadn’t thought about the correlation of kids preparing for bed and us preparing for eternity. For either situation, the Lord grants us peace! This triggered tears tonight, but I’m ok with that – thanks for reminding me of that book! (stopping by from Inspire Me Monday)

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