If I had a nickel for every time that a toddler’s behavior and my direction or correction had convicted me of my own... well, we could buy a house in Colorado!
I’ve been thinking about the prayer, “give us this day our daily bread” and how far off we get when we assume that we have to go find the bread.
My children just assume I will feed them and ask loudly, so how much more will God provide for his children? (preaching to myself now!)
Ah, yes, Annelise, this is so true. "Mommy, I want a muffin. Mommy, I want a muffin. Mommy, I want a muffin." And--this touches on the other point I often have to remind myself in discussions of becoming more childlike--God is perfect goodness, perfect patience, perfect providence, and He doesn't get annoyed by our asking over and over and over again. It's one area where I am, sadly but I think to be expected, an imperfect icon of God's love *to myself* as well as to my children--the more I can remain patient with them (not necessarily giving in to their every whim, obviously), the more clearly I allow God's love to shine through me, both to them and to myself.
1. “You’ve never known forgiveness until you’ve apologized to a child.” Ain’t that the truthiest truth. Children are truly a model of mercy.
2. “A little bit emo” lol. My inner emo kid rejoiced at this.
3. So many lovely observations. My word of the year is “held” and the image I’m holding on to is one of my toddler reaching for me to “picka me up.” How can I rejoice in my weakness and let Heaven carry me like a beloved child?
Thank you for reading, Krista! I love that image of being held in weakness, not because the weakness is some sort of inconvenient problem to be circumnavigated, but because the weakness and dependence are so sweet and lovely and dear. It's not always easy to rejoice in our little ones' littleness, but when we can do so, it becomes clear that that same love is the love God the Father has for us.
Read this, this morning. Thank you for breaking down an all too familiar text and breathing new life into it for me. I have a new appreciation for it again.
Glad you enjoyed it, Marc! This season has so much to teach us... maybe that's why we're tired all the time, it's easier for our will to fight back that way?
Great post Sara. Being child-like is the secret to sanctification. We imitate that in which we focus as a child. As adults, we just need to focus on Jesus and He will do the rest. As a child, we focus on those that love us. and these days we allow the Internet, Schools, Hollywood and TV to teach our kids. Oh how we have lost the ability to model Christ. I have been one of those spiritually impotent parents abrogating my responsibility in raising my children. They are slowly coming around now, praise Yeshua.
So many good points! I love how you noted that children are so quick to forgive, but also pointed out how your daughter processed her feelings openly. She didn’t hold a grudge, but she also didn’t shy away from openly expressing her feelings for fear that someone would feel bad either! I think as adults we either get caught on the side of nursing a grudge or trying to hide our emotions to protect the feelings of the person who wronged us.
This is so real. I'm really trying to work on not taking responsibility for things I can't control, haha, which includes how other people react to things I do, keeping in mind that I still have an obligation to be charitable. It's difficult to find a way to do that when we know our words/emotions might hurt someone, even when that's not our intention, but the long-term effect of the built-up resentment would be worse for everyone... There's a medical analogy here, I just know it.
I'm struggling to find the balance of letting our toddler be a toddler and explore and play while also trying to teach her to listen her my wife and me. I know she has great hearing (her imitation of us is spot on...) but that child is very selective about what she acknowledges to hear. So I'm trying to be better discerning about picking my battles. Thinking about what I'm asking her to do and trying to decide if it's necessary to help her or if it's something I selfishly want her to do or not do.
But she's taught me so much about appreciating the little things. The joy she gets from picking flowers or jumping in puddles is contagious and I've definitely learned to slow down.
Oh, Derek, this is so real. The selective hearing can be so frustrating, and one of the hardest things I'm finding in this season is just not trying to exact revenge or punishment because I'm frustrated.
James talks a lot about the old Jesuit schools, where the teachers weren't allowed to administer any kind of physical punishment (only the administrators, when it was called for) because the teachers were too emotionally invested in the situation. I find that weirdly comforting when trying to navigate the "listen" vs "explore" boundary--that it's okay, and even good, to delegate the "justice" to someone who isn't experiencing the anger or frustration.
And YES to the last point about joy. The delight in anything from a teeny little bug to a kitty cat to a cloud or an airplane is so contagious and refreshing.
This line: "After a little while, it was time for the baby to nurse, so we sat down by a couple of reptiles, fed the baby, and moved on." Loved it and also LOL'd!! ;)
I think a long the lines for being childlike is being silly. I think I'm re-learning how to be silly. Like just entering into silly and enjoying it and not caring how I look. It's SO underrated
And also creative. My children are briming with creativity and it's inspiring me to start my old hobbies or try new ones that I had forgotten about!
Diana, I loved reading your post about your sweet kids right after I wrote this piece. I totally agree with you--it's so difficult but so fruitful to unlearn all that self-consciousness! And on the creativity piece, I have definitely also found a lot more impetus to pursue creative hobbies, and I'm always surprised how life-giving they are in those crazy, non-stop seasons.
The last paragraph is what spoke to me the most in this beautiful post. As a female who feels all the feels way too easily and often, it’s comforting to know that God doesn’t mind. Thank you for this.
If I had a nickel for every time that a toddler’s behavior and my direction or correction had convicted me of my own... well, we could buy a house in Colorado!
I’ve been thinking about the prayer, “give us this day our daily bread” and how far off we get when we assume that we have to go find the bread.
My children just assume I will feed them and ask loudly, so how much more will God provide for his children? (preaching to myself now!)
Ah, yes, Annelise, this is so true. "Mommy, I want a muffin. Mommy, I want a muffin. Mommy, I want a muffin." And--this touches on the other point I often have to remind myself in discussions of becoming more childlike--God is perfect goodness, perfect patience, perfect providence, and He doesn't get annoyed by our asking over and over and over again. It's one area where I am, sadly but I think to be expected, an imperfect icon of God's love *to myself* as well as to my children--the more I can remain patient with them (not necessarily giving in to their every whim, obviously), the more clearly I allow God's love to shine through me, both to them and to myself.
Yes, God does not get tired like I do. Praise the Lord.
❤️❤️
1. “You’ve never known forgiveness until you’ve apologized to a child.” Ain’t that the truthiest truth. Children are truly a model of mercy.
2. “A little bit emo” lol. My inner emo kid rejoiced at this.
3. So many lovely observations. My word of the year is “held” and the image I’m holding on to is one of my toddler reaching for me to “picka me up.” How can I rejoice in my weakness and let Heaven carry me like a beloved child?
Thank you for reading, Krista! I love that image of being held in weakness, not because the weakness is some sort of inconvenient problem to be circumnavigated, but because the weakness and dependence are so sweet and lovely and dear. It's not always easy to rejoice in our little ones' littleness, but when we can do so, it becomes clear that that same love is the love God the Father has for us.
Read this, this morning. Thank you for breaking down an all too familiar text and breathing new life into it for me. I have a new appreciation for it again.
Glad you enjoyed it, Marc! This season has so much to teach us... maybe that's why we're tired all the time, it's easier for our will to fight back that way?
Great post Sara. Being child-like is the secret to sanctification. We imitate that in which we focus as a child. As adults, we just need to focus on Jesus and He will do the rest. As a child, we focus on those that love us. and these days we allow the Internet, Schools, Hollywood and TV to teach our kids. Oh how we have lost the ability to model Christ. I have been one of those spiritually impotent parents abrogating my responsibility in raising my children. They are slowly coming around now, praise Yeshua.
Yes--it's so simple, but so difficult, isn't it? You and your family are in our prayers!
So many good points! I love how you noted that children are so quick to forgive, but also pointed out how your daughter processed her feelings openly. She didn’t hold a grudge, but she also didn’t shy away from openly expressing her feelings for fear that someone would feel bad either! I think as adults we either get caught on the side of nursing a grudge or trying to hide our emotions to protect the feelings of the person who wronged us.
This is so real. I'm really trying to work on not taking responsibility for things I can't control, haha, which includes how other people react to things I do, keeping in mind that I still have an obligation to be charitable. It's difficult to find a way to do that when we know our words/emotions might hurt someone, even when that's not our intention, but the long-term effect of the built-up resentment would be worse for everyone... There's a medical analogy here, I just know it.
I'm struggling to find the balance of letting our toddler be a toddler and explore and play while also trying to teach her to listen her my wife and me. I know she has great hearing (her imitation of us is spot on...) but that child is very selective about what she acknowledges to hear. So I'm trying to be better discerning about picking my battles. Thinking about what I'm asking her to do and trying to decide if it's necessary to help her or if it's something I selfishly want her to do or not do.
But she's taught me so much about appreciating the little things. The joy she gets from picking flowers or jumping in puddles is contagious and I've definitely learned to slow down.
Oh, Derek, this is so real. The selective hearing can be so frustrating, and one of the hardest things I'm finding in this season is just not trying to exact revenge or punishment because I'm frustrated.
James talks a lot about the old Jesuit schools, where the teachers weren't allowed to administer any kind of physical punishment (only the administrators, when it was called for) because the teachers were too emotionally invested in the situation. I find that weirdly comforting when trying to navigate the "listen" vs "explore" boundary--that it's okay, and even good, to delegate the "justice" to someone who isn't experiencing the anger or frustration.
And YES to the last point about joy. The delight in anything from a teeny little bug to a kitty cat to a cloud or an airplane is so contagious and refreshing.
This line: "After a little while, it was time for the baby to nurse, so we sat down by a couple of reptiles, fed the baby, and moved on." Loved it and also LOL'd!! ;)
Ahhhahaha I love that! Glad you enjoyed it.
Totally! :)
Love this ! Those babies of yours are in good hands. You seem like an awesome mom.
Thank you, Bob! We're doing our best :) all through the Lord's grace, I tell you what.
I think a long the lines for being childlike is being silly. I think I'm re-learning how to be silly. Like just entering into silly and enjoying it and not caring how I look. It's SO underrated
And also creative. My children are briming with creativity and it's inspiring me to start my old hobbies or try new ones that I had forgotten about!
Diana, I loved reading your post about your sweet kids right after I wrote this piece. I totally agree with you--it's so difficult but so fruitful to unlearn all that self-consciousness! And on the creativity piece, I have definitely also found a lot more impetus to pursue creative hobbies, and I'm always surprised how life-giving they are in those crazy, non-stop seasons.
The last paragraph is what spoke to me the most in this beautiful post. As a female who feels all the feels way too easily and often, it’s comforting to know that God doesn’t mind. Thank you for this.