Choosing to obey...

Amelia has found a new infatuation with our trash can. I'm not going to lie. The trash can is cute. It's bright orange and I love it too. So much that when I saw it while on vacation, I had my brother tote it all the way home to Arkansas in the back of his truck.



She first just started to stand up by the trash can and admire it, and then started touching it, and then she did something that I never even dreamed she would do. She LICKED the trash can. I immediately said, "No Amelia...don't lick the trash can!!" While on my way over to snatch her up, she quickly got in one last lick. I'm gagging while writing this. I honestly thought to myself while carrying her to the living room, "what would possess her to LICK the trash can!??"

Another thing she has started doing is throwing her cup onto the floor when finished with it. I've been working with her on handing it to me when she's finished or even better - just sitting it back down on her high chair tray. Today we went head-to-head over throwing her cup down. She would sit and wait for me to turn around and would be dangling her cup over the edge of her tray - with this look on her face that said, "take one more step towards me and it hits the floor." I would walk toward her and say, "no-no." She then quickly dropped the cup and just looked at me like, "what now, Mama?" We went round and round...she was in tears. I knew at this point it was no longer about making a mess on the floor - it was about obedience. The cup was staying on the tray. It's important to me that Amelia has boundaries and will never question what's going to happen if she disobeys. I believe she'll find security in that. She'll always have a choice, but will also know there will always be consequences. After several times of dropping the cup on the floor and having her hand spanked, I turned around and she was holding her cup up and was waiting for me to look at her. She then gently sat it back on her tray.



I'm not going to lie...I started crying. I said, "YAY AMELIA!!" "GOOD JOB, BABY!!" She then started cheering for herself, clapping her hands and saying, "YAY!!". We hugged and celebrated her obedience.

I know it's my job to teach Amelia, but God uses this little girl to teach me, as well. Things that I know, but may be currently ignoring. I sat there crying because she chose to obey. I was so proud of her. Because if she's anything like her Mama, she can have a strong will and would much rather do things her way than someone else's way. It's not always easy to submit in obedience. I know without a doubt, there have been times in my life that I chose to hang out around the trashcan and get one last "lick" in - making my Heavenly Father gag on His way in to snatch me up and give me a good spanking.

I can just imagine how happy it must make Him when I choose:
Right vs. wrong.
Obedience vs. rebellion.
Faith vs. fear.
Forgiveness vs. resentment.
Him vs. self.

"My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise." -Psalm 51:17

"Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!" -Deuteronomy 5:29

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." -2 Timothy 1:7

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you." -Matthew 6:14

“...Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." -Matthew 16:24

Love to all,