Tug of War is an interesting game. It becomes even more so when it is with a half asleep two year old and the "rope" you are tugging between you is her lunch plate. This isn't the first time that Greta fell asleep in her feeding table. And I'm sure it won't be the last. This time, however, her hands were resting on her plate as she slowly drifted off to sleep.
It is true that Greta is much more comfortable on the couch or in her bed than trying to sleep in her feeding table. Usually, she begs to be out and go to the couch to rest. This time, she was defending her plate. For some reason, letting go of the plate was the most horrible thing that could happen to her. So each time I tried to gently remove the plate, so I could clean up her peanut butter and honey mess and put her on the couch, she threw a horrible fit and grabbed the plate and cried out with determination "I want it! I want it!" So I would let go of the plate, and she would settle back in to her sleeping position.
After giving Greta a few chances to release the plate of her own free will, I had to take it away and clean her up. For someone who had just seconds before been snoring, she was thrashing about like a cat being put in a pool of water. It took a while to calm her down and let her know that I did want her to get her rest, but she didn't need the plate to do it. Finally, she slept comfortably on the couch, and of course, didn't want to wake up when nap time was over.
I think God must go through tug of wars like this with us as well. He can see we are really needing something. He wants to help us reach our goals, but there is something in the way. There is something we need to let go of in order to let Him help us reach our goals. Our lack of faith, or perhaps trust that God does indeed know what's best in EVERY aspect of our lives, prevents us from seeing that if the "plate" is taken away, we'll get to our goal! God, in His mercy, gives us many chances to let go on our own. Sometimes, He has to take the thing away from us and we kick and scream until we realize that the desired goal is right in front of us, thanks to God's leading.
Sharon
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Sunday, January 8, 2006
Broken Scissors
How good is my word? My four year old seems to be wanting to test it to its limits. And when he is done, the 2 1/2 year old chimes in. So, the test came with a pair of scissors. Matthew had previously cut Greta's hair (twice)as well as one of his new shirts that was a special gift from Grandma. Scissors had been off limits to him for a while, even and especially those little child safety scissors (since they can still cut hair and clothes)!
So, after Christmas, Matthew has a new pair of safety scissors, and begged to be able to use them. I told him that the scissors were only for cutting paper, and only his paper, no books and no paper belonging to someone else. I also told him that if he cut anything else with the scissors, I would break them and throw them away. The serious look in his eyes told me he understood, as well as the verbal, yes mommy.
We had company yesterday afternoon and evening. Matthew tried to cut the shoelaces of one of our guests. I didn't want to follow through, but Matthew needed to know right then, the first time, that I was serious. So, reluctantly, I took the scissors and broke them right in front of little Matthew. There were gasps from those who did not understand the behind the scenes parent/child battle that led up to this. I reminded Matthew of the terms of our agreement and how he had broken it, so I broke the scissors and threw them away.
I held Matthew in my arms and assured him that I still loved him, but that I mean what I say. I started to wonder. How many pairs of broken scissors have their been in my life? How many times has God told me something and I don't listen or try to do things my way? Jesus has given us many words of encouragement and many promises. He keeps His word. He means what He says. He is coming back soon. It will be unexpected for many, who haven't believed that he means what He says.
Sharon
So, after Christmas, Matthew has a new pair of safety scissors, and begged to be able to use them. I told him that the scissors were only for cutting paper, and only his paper, no books and no paper belonging to someone else. I also told him that if he cut anything else with the scissors, I would break them and throw them away. The serious look in his eyes told me he understood, as well as the verbal, yes mommy.
We had company yesterday afternoon and evening. Matthew tried to cut the shoelaces of one of our guests. I didn't want to follow through, but Matthew needed to know right then, the first time, that I was serious. So, reluctantly, I took the scissors and broke them right in front of little Matthew. There were gasps from those who did not understand the behind the scenes parent/child battle that led up to this. I reminded Matthew of the terms of our agreement and how he had broken it, so I broke the scissors and threw them away.
I held Matthew in my arms and assured him that I still loved him, but that I mean what I say. I started to wonder. How many pairs of broken scissors have their been in my life? How many times has God told me something and I don't listen or try to do things my way? Jesus has given us many words of encouragement and many promises. He keeps His word. He means what He says. He is coming back soon. It will be unexpected for many, who haven't believed that he means what He says.
Sharon
Monday, January 2, 2006
Cleaning Windows XP
In a house with three children, I do a lot of cleaning, and supervising of cleaning. I allowed the two littlest to breathe a little air on to the dining room window, and be fascinated with what appeared. But then, they began, as most children do, to write in the fog they had created. I asked them not to write on the window with their fingers, as it would make it dirty. Then back to my cleaning in the kitchen.
I'm wiping down counters and putting away things and preparing for the next assault on the kitchen, when Matthew starts in with a question only a child could ask. Does XP clean windows? I wanted to enjoy the beauty and innocence and chuckle of his question, little realizing the effect my enjoyment would have. He repeated his question, does XP clean windows, and I continued to revel in this childhood innocence, and preparing what I might say when the next thing to leave his mouth absolutely floored me: "I thought so."
Matthew had assumed that my silence was a yes. Since I did not correct him, it must be true. So I hurried to explain that Windows XP was a program for the computer and that XP did not clean the windows like the one in the dining room. And I began to think more on this. How many times do we as parents not answer our children according to "their" timeline? How often do they interpret this as a "yes" answer. If no one corrects them, than it must be true, right? But what if it is false? What if it is wrong? Who will stand up and say "No" when a question is asked?
Then I had to ask myself an even harder question. How many times have I been this way with God? How many times have I asked God for an answer to a question that I had already formulated an opinion about? Have I taken His sometimes silence as a yes? Have I felt that if I am not corrected in the way I feel I should be that it must be true?
God's Word says that He is not slack concerning His promises, as many of us understand slackness to be. I cannot mistake silence for a yes. Just because I do not perceive an immediate answer, does not mean that the answer is therefore yes. Out of the mouths of babes. Little Matthew taught me much today.
Sharon Leukert
I'm wiping down counters and putting away things and preparing for the next assault on the kitchen, when Matthew starts in with a question only a child could ask. Does XP clean windows? I wanted to enjoy the beauty and innocence and chuckle of his question, little realizing the effect my enjoyment would have. He repeated his question, does XP clean windows, and I continued to revel in this childhood innocence, and preparing what I might say when the next thing to leave his mouth absolutely floored me: "I thought so."
Matthew had assumed that my silence was a yes. Since I did not correct him, it must be true. So I hurried to explain that Windows XP was a program for the computer and that XP did not clean the windows like the one in the dining room. And I began to think more on this. How many times do we as parents not answer our children according to "their" timeline? How often do they interpret this as a "yes" answer. If no one corrects them, than it must be true, right? But what if it is false? What if it is wrong? Who will stand up and say "No" when a question is asked?
Then I had to ask myself an even harder question. How many times have I been this way with God? How many times have I asked God for an answer to a question that I had already formulated an opinion about? Have I taken His sometimes silence as a yes? Have I felt that if I am not corrected in the way I feel I should be that it must be true?
God's Word says that He is not slack concerning His promises, as many of us understand slackness to be. I cannot mistake silence for a yes. Just because I do not perceive an immediate answer, does not mean that the answer is therefore yes. Out of the mouths of babes. Little Matthew taught me much today.
Sharon Leukert
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