Uggghhhh.... Shots!

I have discovered one of my very least favorite "mommy jobs." Taking Carter to get shots. I had to take him to the doctor yesterday for his four month check up. I've been dreading this appointment for weeks, and as yesterday afternoon wore on and his appointment time approached, I felt waves of nausea overcome me with every thought of my precious boy getting shots. It seemed all I could think about was the shots. I felt like such a traitor as I drove my sweet, smiling child to the doctors office. The office was completely full when we arrived, so we had to sit in the waiting room for a full 45 minutes before being called back. Guess what I thought about for 45 minutes? Shots... As silly as it may sound, the thought of causing pain to enter my child's life grieved me. In my head, I knew that it was in his best interest to get these shots and that the pain would only be temporary but my heart just broke thinking about my little one hurting.

They finally called us back and the doctor examined Carter. He's doing great and has grown like a weed. He weighed in at a whopping 17 pounds 12 ounces and has grown a full 6 inches in length since he was born. Carter smiled and laughed at the doctor for most of the examination. The doctor left the room, and the dreaded nurse with the shots came in. We laid Carter down on the bed, and she proceeded to give him three shots while I tried to distract him and keep myself from falling apart. My sweet baby cried quite a bit but calmed down as soon as I picked him up and held him close.

This whole experience got me thinking. I wonder if the experience of Carter getting shots can be likened to some of the painful circumstances and situations we experience in life. Carter didn't know what was about to happen to him, and while it was happening he couldn't understand that the pain was temporary and for his own good. I'm sure he looked at me and thought "Mom, why are you letting this happen to me?" Aren't we like that when "bad" things happen to us? We're right in the middle of the situation and often don't realize that it is temporary. Even if the situation lasts the rest of our mortal lives, as believers we have eternal life, free from pain and bad situations, to look forward to. When experiencing a bad situation we may look at God and ask, "Daddy, why are you letting this happen to me?" but we don't realize that it's for our own good. Even when we don't understand all the "whys" we can rest in the assurance that He knows all and has promised that "all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." It does make me wonder though, does God's heart ever break as he watches us go through painful circumstances just as my heart broke watching Carter get shots?