Thursday, June 25, 2009

Out of the mouths of moms...

If you're a parent, maybe you recognize this feeling... where you are saying something directly to your children & God brings it right back to you for your Parent/child relationship with Him! It happened again today for me...

Earlier, I was in the kitchen with my little ones, ready to bake a batch of cookies. Typical of their demeanors lately... they were vying for 'top spot' every step of the way. Not in anyway new to the world... just our season to go through it.

So, here we are... trying to negotiate who will perform each step of the recipe... and I'm getting more weary of this 'fun' project by the second. My oldest keeps trying to jump ahead & "take care" of things before I instruct her to. I'm glad that she's at an age where she can anticipate what's next, but she's not mature enough yet to appreciate that I have a bigger plan. I want to include her little brother in key steps that he can manage alone. So, I say something like... "Please just wait for the instructions I give you. Don't get ahead of me."

There was remark #1 that caught my attention. So, now I'm thinking... do I try to 'jump ahead' of God because I'm convinced I know what's coming next? Do I miss out on His perfect plan, because all I can think about is the one I have? Perhaps I do. Maybe the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

And, then there's my son's issue the whole time we're working:
"What about me????" .... "Can I do that?" .... "What can I do?" .... "I wanted to do that!"

He was so focused on "winning" the next job, he wasn't enjoying the things he was getting to do. I looked him squarely in the eyes and said something like... "You are getting turns & you will have a few more... will you just trust me, please?

And, that was point #2 to consider... Am I so focused on what I want, that I'm not trusting that God will provide His best, in His time? Or... am I so wrapped up in getting that next thing... that I'm not enjoying what I have been given right now? Perhaps that apple doesn't fall far from the tree, either.

And, lest I decide to ignore these lessons & chalk them up as just random thoughts... here's one from a few days ago:

(me, to my kids:) If I am speaking to you, please stop what you're doing and pay attention!

(God, immediately inside my heart:) This is true for you, too, you know!

1 comment:

Debbie Giese said...

This happens to me all the time. I open my mouth to speak to me kids and hear God telling me the same thing. Do you think maybe that's part of the reason He lets us have kids? I can so relate to your cookie baking time. I plan these fun things and wind up edgy and irritated, as much as I would like not to be. It's like, stop messing with my really fun plan. Oh, I think I heard Him again...
Debbie