Lessons from the Toddler

So my Little Miss lately has been going through this stage where she takes a one or two syllable word and somehow makes it into four or five. Our favorite right now that she does on cue, without realizing why its funny, is "How 'bout that?" Because it sounds like "How 'bout 'daaaaat."

She's definitely a little southern girl, as evidenced by how often she asks to ride "the formula" meaning "the four wheeler" and how she likes to sit outside in the yard and pour dirt right onto the tops of her jeans and bury her legs in it. Then she'll see ONE ant or get dirt on her HANDS, and freak out and ask for a bath. Torn between girlie girl and tomboy, that one. ;)

She's also in a stage right now where she's 3 1/2 going on about 13. We are having Terrible Three's moments like crazy lately, but then they're followed by such sweetness and wisdom and profoundness of heart that I'm convinced the former was in my imagination.

Until about 15 minutes later when I ask her to put away her toys.

This is why when people ask "oh when are you having your next kid?" I say "uhhh when I forget what this one was like at 3". ha.

The main thing she's reminding me of lately is grace. Grace that God gives us, and that I should give her. It's easy to demand and have high expectations of our kids and get upset too quickly and hold grudges when they mess up.

But God doesn't do that to us. Can you imagine if He did? We still get punished and we still need and get discipline, just like we do for our children (because ohhhh my, can you imagine if He/we didn't?!?)

But there's always grace in the mix.

When Little Miss is told no or asked to do something that is not in her immediate plan, she will often scrunch that adorable face up into a pout and cross those skinny arms and stomp that little foot - and remind me that's exactly how we look to God when He tries to lead us in a direction we didn't want to go. Rejection from an agent? Major revisions from our publisher? The loss of writing time because of a sick child or husband who forgot the plan? Yeah. We're guilty. We're guilty of demanding our own way like a toddler, forgetting that Daddy knows best.

Today, I'm going to try to remember that despite the stress and burdens and chaos of the daily grind, Daddy knows best. I'm going to strive to seek His will and timing for my life, and not get so overcome with demanding my own way that I pitch a fit in the face of the One who loves me and wants the very best for my ultimate good and more importantly--for His glory.

What about you?