Don't Bite The Table!

Be joyful in hope,

 patient in affliction,

 faithful in prayer.

Romans 12:12 NIV

Patience is a virtue. Or so they say. Patience is NOT something that comes easily for me. If by chance you are a parent I'm totally sure you can relate. I find myself using phrases all day long that I never expected or even hoped I'd ever have to use. Hence today's title. 

Our 16 month old is a very normal, very active child. He's at the age now where patience in parents is the most important. Toddlers in this early learning phase are akin to a highly intoxicated person. Stumbling, babbling incoherently, bumping into everything, and falling every couple of feet. And let's not even get started on the "everything must go in my mouth so I can properly decide if I want to play with it or not" bit. Ah yes, life with a toddler is anything but dull. "Don't bite the table, Liam", "Couches are for sitting, not dancing, Liam", "Believe it or not, you don't need to climb up that, Liam", "I promise your life will go on normally without Mickey Mouse for an hour, Liam", "What do you have in your mouth now, Liam???", "How on God's green earth did you get that, Liam?"

And the list goes on and on and on and on and on and on.

After an especially bad day today, I started to think about my relationship with God. On my journey to finding my faith, it dawned on me today that I'm in that crazy toddler phase as well. I suddenly realized that I'm raising this little, tiny, crazy person at the same time that God is trying to raise me. And suddenly I want to drop to my knees and beg for forgiveness.  In that moment I could hear God saying, "I promise your life will go on normally if you don't have that, Lacey", "Don't go down that path, Lacey", "Where on My green earth did you leave your manners, Lacey", "What did you just allow into your heart, Lacey", "That's not My rightful place on your priority list, Lacey Marie!"

I'm sure you get the picture. On my journey right now I'm a stumbling, incoherently babbling, bumping, falling, and fumbling around toddler. But, as is with my child, God is just trying to raise me up to be the best me I can be. He just wants me to be happy. He wants me to have good manners, and be kind to everyone. He just wants to LOVE me. 

It's most important in these times to remember that our children will learn. They will stop throwing the toddler tantrums we all cringe during and they will learn by the example we show them. Just as we learn by God's almighty example. With a little bit of patience and a whole lot of LOVE!

Many Blessings,
Lacey

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