Wednesday, December 15, 2010

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,

11 comments:

kristin fulghum said...

i mean seriously, i wonder if our daughters are long lost twins. i can honestly say i know exactly what you are talking about. way to be consistent!

Anonymous said...

Sweet sister,
I'm sitting here crying while reading this...as you know I can so relate:) May God always receive the Glory for all the times He has snatched me away and taught me that obedience is so much better than sacrafice!!

P.S. If it makes you feel any better, I'm pretty sure I wiped it down with Mr.Clean yesterday:)

amy said...

love this post.
P.S. R and R are watching Elf again. :)

Cheryl said...

I am in tears reading this because we are having some of the same struggles with Hannah. I am trying to figure out how to teach her to obey without feeling guilty for making her cry. Right now, we are a battle over cutting her nails. That has been an impossible task for the past several days and I know I eventually have to win or she is going to look like Edward Scissor Hands! Oh the journey we are taking with our little girls who are now 1!

Lauren said...

WOW, I think we could ALL take something away from this post!!! Great!!!

Jen said...

I can't tell you how many times I've been dealing with something with my girls and just been stopped in my tracks by God telling me that he has to deal with me with the same type of things. Such a true post!

On a lighter note, you can always just tell Amelia that she won't have any friends if she licks the trash can and gets trash germs in her mouth! :) I seriously have about 5 other "life lessons" I could say about that. I don't think I ever realized how silly some of the things I tell my girls are until I actually started thinking about it. Maybe I should write a post (or book) on it! :)

Love you!

Immeasurably More Mama said...

I really, really like this post. :)

Hillary said...

I'm thinking she licked it bc it looked like a yummy popsicle! But still....love your post. I already pray that Sadie will have a sweet, obedient spirit, but I know it's my job to help that along. Lord help me!

Momx6 said...

You've learned the lesson well - I''m proud of you.

Heather said...

I love you and love this post! Avery Kate is a terrible cup thrower!!! She is starting to get a little better but it has been a real battle!! I love how you wrote this and compared our daughters/children to us in our relationships to God. Beautiful post, girlie!

Linda Lou Rogers Averitt said...

Oh I know that is so hard, I am so thankful she was quick to obey, you did a good job mommy:) plus seized the opportunity as ALex preached to learn and teach others:) hugs and so much love