"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6
I immediately knew it might be an interesting day where God used this to encourage teach me. I prayed for our day and for patience. For the most part that seemed to be working. Even though it was a harder than normal day, I felt prepared, that God had equipped me for the day with that verse.
And then clean up before nap came.
And all the sudden I did not feel equipped at all. I found myself losing patience (after a whopping 5 hours) and wondering in my head "Why can't he just obey?!?!"
God stopped me dead in my tracks with the counter comment, "Why can't YOU just obey?" AH...Good point God.
I am a sinner first and foremost in need of grace. I have been "around the mountain" several times with issues where I really should just learn to obey. And I have been at this for almost thirty years.
My precious little boy has only been learning to obey for three (insert tear that I now have to write three because his birthday is next week!) years. It is my job to "train him up" and teach him to obey. That is a huge reason God chose me to parent him.
When L and I were going through premarital counseling we were told that your spouse would be used like a mirror, to expose and reflect your sin, to make you more holy than necessarily happy. They were right about exposing sin. Marriage does that. But what I am finding is that parenting is an extension of that. God is using parenting to make me more holy. To expose my ugly sin like never before.
My son has taught me so much in the last year. God has used him to teach me how to be a mother and this year has been one of the most precious in my life. And honestly, even if it doesn't always feel good (especially if I am still learning some things like a three year old), using him to make me more holy is amazing and better for me than I could ever dream.
And then clean up before nap came.
And all the sudden I did not feel equipped at all. I found myself losing patience (after a whopping 5 hours) and wondering in my head "Why can't he just obey?!?!"
God stopped me dead in my tracks with the counter comment, "Why can't YOU just obey?" AH...Good point God.
I am a sinner first and foremost in need of grace. I have been "around the mountain" several times with issues where I really should just learn to obey. And I have been at this for almost thirty years.
My precious little boy has only been learning to obey for three (insert tear that I now have to write three because his birthday is next week!) years. It is my job to "train him up" and teach him to obey. That is a huge reason God chose me to parent him.
When L and I were going through premarital counseling we were told that your spouse would be used like a mirror, to expose and reflect your sin, to make you more holy than necessarily happy. They were right about exposing sin. Marriage does that. But what I am finding is that parenting is an extension of that. God is using parenting to make me more holy. To expose my ugly sin like never before.
My son has taught me so much in the last year. God has used him to teach me how to be a mother and this year has been one of the most precious in my life. And honestly, even if it doesn't always feel good (especially if I am still learning some things like a three year old), using him to make me more holy is amazing and better for me than I could ever dream.
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