Alora is just like me! She is bossy and stubborn and just a little ham! We have been attending a local VBS and each night at cookie time she has this one couple laughing their heads off. The husband is fighting ALS and he just thinks Alora is the cutest thing (in her fits and tantrums as well as her smiles and jokes), she loves older men and, I think she finds his wheel chair to be really cool too!
With every pout, foot stomp, whine, laugh, and flirtation she has, I am reminded of my youth and stories from my family about my own budding personality. My grandmother tells of my running to my Papaw's (great-grandfather's) lap to avoid the inevitable, and probably much deserved, spanking that she was about to give to me. I knew he would try to save me from a punishment and plead my case, whether I had one or not. Alora is just like me, she has her favorite pouts and sayings to get out of a punishment, her latest ones being "don't yell at me, just talk to me" when anyone uses a stern voice and "No, I don't want to".
I sometimes am blown away thinking how much like her, I am. Not that I stomp my foot and cry when I don't get my way, I might get some funny stares and my husband might think there was something wrong with me! But, with God, my heart sometimes wants to whine and stamp its foot and get its way. God knows best for me and sometimes I hear what He has to say and then tell Him "Don't yell at me!" or "I don't want to and you can't make me!" Just like I can't make Alora take her nap (I can just keep her in the bed and hope she wears herself out), God can't make me do what I know is right. I am sure that He is frustrated with me, thinking, "I know what is best for you, I know what you want is not what you need." Just as I know that Alora will be a cute little girl with a monster of an attitude if she doesn't get a nap, God knows that the innocent spirit he gave me will be full of nothing that resembles that fruit of the Spirit if I don't do as He has asked.
I don't think I fully grasped the fullness of God's love for me until I had children. There is just this great love that I have for my children that I compare to the even greater love God has for us, and I am floored with the reality that His love for us is so strong and pure and un-failing. It is just so awesome.
I pray that each time I struggle with my children I am reminded of my struggles with God. Just as I want my children to respect and love me and obey me without question, I know that God desires the same thing of all His children. I pray for God to soften me and allow me to be molded into what He has planned for me to be. May this happen and my children see it and may they grow up to be just like me, a Child of God.
3 Comments:
Amen, Sister! Just this morning, I was asking Chris what we were going to do with Katie. She is in her terrible 2's right now at 16 months! I had to leave Chili's last night to walk around the sidewalk while we were waiting because she was screaming. I found myself thinking that it would just be easier not to go out. Then, I found myself getting rebellious thoughts against THAT idea b/c I used to laugh at other people when THEIR KIDS would force them to not go out because of their behavior!
Well, apparently with this 2nd child of mine we have one of THOSE children! Ah, this too shall pass! (And don't even get me started on how much Gracie is like me!)
Thanks for visiting my page!
My oldest child can be very exasperating, and my mother laughs because he reminds her a lot of me as a child!
I love having children because it has huge parallels to my relationship with God.
How can I love them so much but be so angry or disappointed at them at the same time?
Life at home is so peaceful when the children obey and respect me.
A child's tearful apology when they know they have done wrong melts my heart and makes me fall in love with them all over again!
Sounds like you are doing a great job!
Oh goodness! I was just browsing around tonight and saw those pictures. Precious and pure Alora, through & through! lol
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