Let Us Not Grow Weary...

 
Now I know it is hard to imagine how a cute little munchkin like this could leave me tired and frustrated some days, but it is true.  This past week, Jeremiah has been pushing my buttons.  He has repeatedly decided to go for all kinds of things I have told him not to touch.  For a while I thought he was making progress, but this last week, as soon as I would run into the kitchen he immediately goes for something in the living room he KNOWS I do not want him to touch.  On top of that, he just has been having these little fits of temper that definitely are NOT cute or pretty.  What happened to my sweet little smiling, cooing baby?  I guess he has become a toddler. 

The past few Sundays, I have been going to a parenting Sunday School class called, "Getting to the Heart of your Parenting," using DVDs by Paul Tripp.  It has given me some excellent reminders.  This past Sunday was on Parenting ages 0-5.  I was reminded that during this age our main goal is to exercise our God given authority over children so that we might mirror God's divine authority over us.  The child's main goal, recognize and submit to this authority.  Paul Tripp was saying that if you are exhausted at the end of the day and ready to throw in the towel, that means it has been a successful day at this age.  Oh boy!  Those temper tantrums we see in a 3 year old will not be "cute- are they ever cute?" in a 17 year old down the road.  He was saying how we do not realize that that 3 year old, through his anger and tears, is saying- "I don't need you God.  I will do it my OWN way."  And even as we begin to see sin in our own child's heart become more blatant and ugly, I am reminded of my sin in my own heart that, though secret, looks just like that child's temper tantrum. 

My prayer for this week: "And let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."  (Gal. 6:9)