When Alex was 10 months old, I fretted over how slowly he was learning to walk. I just knew he was behind the curb. Mikenzie took FORever to potty train, at one point I wondered if it would ever happen. Each of my children had one milestone or another that I had to wait for. Some surpassed their siblings, Brandon for example learned to walk at 10 months and was kicking a soccer ball around the house within a week. Jeremy infamously said " More... pizza... Dad" at 16 months and was speaking in full paragraphs by 24 months.
As I reflect on these memories, I have come to realize, that yes, each milestone was reached, eventually. Not always when I wanted it to happen ( especially with the potty training thing, I tell ya, that will melt your brain! ) but they did happen. There are still milestones for my children to reach and some of them are not moving along at a quick enough clip for my liking. Some are not staying on the exact path I had planned for them... c'mon people, THIS way!! I have always been the fearless leader of our happy little tribe, now everyone has an opinion?
Now, I look around at my little life and wonder, why is Heavenly Father taking soooo long to send blessing x or opportunity y? I have done a, b, c and d just for extra credit and yet, the blessings I so desperately seek sure seem to be taking a long time to arrive gift wrapped on my front porch. Then I realize, the Lord truly does have a time frame built especially for me ( and my children ) and I need to learn humility and patience.
And the more I live with, deal with and try to enjoy these teenage Dr. Jekel and Mr. Hyde's on a daily basis, I have come to truly appreciate two gifts our Heavenly Father extends to us: free agency and patience. The ability He has to just let us stumble along in life, regardless of our determination to take the longest, most difficult route, complaining all the way about how hard life is, that's amazing. Even more so, He does it patiently.
I find myself getting ready to let my first little fledgling out of the nest and boy do James and I have volumes of great advice to give the boy. We could talk for hours and hours... he could care less. He is ready to spread his wings and take a few flights on his own. I am so worried about him scraping his knees and missing the right exits in life. But then I think of Heavenly Father, patiently watching each of us, swirling around in the big sky, lost and confused, insisting we know the best way. And He lets us, ready with loving direction whenever we are ready to humble ourselves. I realize too, all of that great advice we have, we earned every drop of it... by scraping our knees and missing an exit or two on the freeway of life. We are still here. Not as ambitious, energetic or naive, but hopefully a little wiser.
So I look to My Father in Heaven and thank Him for the great blessings of free agency I have been afforded, along with His endless patience with me. I in turn need to extend patience to my children and let them fly around, get a little dizzy, maybe even get lost for a bit and realize the milestones will come, sooner or later. Waiting on the Lord to help shape my children into the people that He knows is best, even though I seem to think I have a pretty good idea.
Free agency and patience on His part, trust and patience on my part.
Be grateful!!
As I reflect on these memories, I have come to realize, that yes, each milestone was reached, eventually. Not always when I wanted it to happen ( especially with the potty training thing, I tell ya, that will melt your brain! ) but they did happen. There are still milestones for my children to reach and some of them are not moving along at a quick enough clip for my liking. Some are not staying on the exact path I had planned for them... c'mon people, THIS way!! I have always been the fearless leader of our happy little tribe, now everyone has an opinion?
Now, I look around at my little life and wonder, why is Heavenly Father taking soooo long to send blessing x or opportunity y? I have done a, b, c and d just for extra credit and yet, the blessings I so desperately seek sure seem to be taking a long time to arrive gift wrapped on my front porch. Then I realize, the Lord truly does have a time frame built especially for me ( and my children ) and I need to learn humility and patience.
And the more I live with, deal with and try to enjoy these teenage Dr. Jekel and Mr. Hyde's on a daily basis, I have come to truly appreciate two gifts our Heavenly Father extends to us: free agency and patience. The ability He has to just let us stumble along in life, regardless of our determination to take the longest, most difficult route, complaining all the way about how hard life is, that's amazing. Even more so, He does it patiently.
I find myself getting ready to let my first little fledgling out of the nest and boy do James and I have volumes of great advice to give the boy. We could talk for hours and hours... he could care less. He is ready to spread his wings and take a few flights on his own. I am so worried about him scraping his knees and missing the right exits in life. But then I think of Heavenly Father, patiently watching each of us, swirling around in the big sky, lost and confused, insisting we know the best way. And He lets us, ready with loving direction whenever we are ready to humble ourselves. I realize too, all of that great advice we have, we earned every drop of it... by scraping our knees and missing an exit or two on the freeway of life. We are still here. Not as ambitious, energetic or naive, but hopefully a little wiser.
So I look to My Father in Heaven and thank Him for the great blessings of free agency I have been afforded, along with His endless patience with me. I in turn need to extend patience to my children and let them fly around, get a little dizzy, maybe even get lost for a bit and realize the milestones will come, sooner or later. Waiting on the Lord to help shape my children into the people that He knows is best, even though I seem to think I have a pretty good idea.
Free agency and patience on His part, trust and patience on my part.
Be grateful!!
No comments:
Post a Comment