God uses email
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Specifically, God used an email from my friend Karen to encourage me today. Our usually laid-back sweetheart has an independent streak a mile wide and at least as deep combined with a determination rivaling her mother's and a plethora of energy ... which equals one strong-willed little girl! That mixed with one tired mom today equalled trouble ....
Then, moments later, came bad choice number three: giving in to letting her play on my computer (another no-no). Once again, she has a keyboard (not plugged into a computer) that we give her to play with when she wants to play with our laptops, but I didn't bother getting it for her.
The rest of the day included tantrum after tantrum when she lost it every time she wasn't allowed to play with another piece of technology, be it the computer, the phone, my camera, or the remotes (all of which are off limits). Her old tantrums weren't bad, and I would just let them play out and not give them a lot of attention. Her new tantrums involve hitting me, which requires a response to train her that hitting is not appropriate behavior. It broke my heart to see her throw several tantrums today (I say several because I honestly lost count!) that were the result of my lack of consistency in playing with her and sticking to our rules all the time so she knows what to expect. It wouldn't have been hard to play outside this morning or to say no the first time when she asked for the phone or the computer; it was much harder in the long run today to skip outdoor play time and to give in when she tested the rules.
Which brings me to the title of this post ... God uses email. In the midst of a particularly trying day, involving tears from both my dear daughter and her mommy, I got an email from a friend that included this paragraph:
I needed that reminder of the preciousness of even the most trying days. With her this little, it feels like 13 will never come, but it used to feel like eighteen months wouldn't come and now it's right around the corner. I don't want to miss this sweet time because I'm praying for the day to be over or because I'm getting preoccupied with other things and not being the mom that Jocelyn needs me to be, the mom that God designed me to be. Tomorrow, with God's guidance and strength, I intend to make better choices. But no matter what, even if I fail or if Jocelyn has countless tantrums despite my best efforts, I will still kiss her, pull her into my lap, pray for her, and pray with her. I will focus on the bigger picture of what God has in store for her rather than letting myself become encumbered by the "dailyness" of raising this energetic, independent, and determined toddler!
I was tired this morning, so I made bad choice #1: trying to skip out on playing in the yard this morning (which has become a morning ritual) and instead substituting Sesame Street. While Jocelyn loves Sesame Street, this morning she really needed yard time to burn some energy. I knew that; I just tried to take an easier path.
Then I made bad choice number two a little later: letting her run around with the phone while I talked with Lee. She wanted to listen to his voice on speakerphone, so I was inconsistent with one of our rules: Jocelyn doesn't play with the real phone. She has a couple of play phones that she enjoys, one that she especially loves that Grandma and Grandpa gave her last Christmas to help distract her from her desire for off-limits phones. I could have given her that phone, but I didn't want to spend the energy finding it.Then, moments later, came bad choice number three: giving in to letting her play on my computer (another no-no). Once again, she has a keyboard (not plugged into a computer) that we give her to play with when she wants to play with our laptops, but I didn't bother getting it for her.
The rest of the day included tantrum after tantrum when she lost it every time she wasn't allowed to play with another piece of technology, be it the computer, the phone, my camera, or the remotes (all of which are off limits). Her old tantrums weren't bad, and I would just let them play out and not give them a lot of attention. Her new tantrums involve hitting me, which requires a response to train her that hitting is not appropriate behavior. It broke my heart to see her throw several tantrums today (I say several because I honestly lost count!) that were the result of my lack of consistency in playing with her and sticking to our rules all the time so she knows what to expect. It wouldn't have been hard to play outside this morning or to say no the first time when she asked for the phone or the computer; it was much harder in the long run today to skip outdoor play time and to give in when she tested the rules.
Which brings me to the title of this post ... God uses email. In the midst of a particularly trying day, involving tears from both my dear daughter and her mommy, I got an email from a friend that included this paragraph:
Oh, how quickly our toddlers and babies grow up. Kiss them this morning. Take a moment to pull them in your lap and pray for them and then pray aloud with them. The time is fleeting and our opportunities, given by His grace, to impact them for His glory are very short. Blink...and then they will be 13!!! (or pray for the mamas you know who are struggling with the "dailyness" of life...that they will glimpse the bigger picture)
I needed that reminder of the preciousness of even the most trying days. With her this little, it feels like 13 will never come, but it used to feel like eighteen months wouldn't come and now it's right around the corner. I don't want to miss this sweet time because I'm praying for the day to be over or because I'm getting preoccupied with other things and not being the mom that Jocelyn needs me to be, the mom that God designed me to be. Tomorrow, with God's guidance and strength, I intend to make better choices. But no matter what, even if I fail or if Jocelyn has countless tantrums despite my best efforts, I will still kiss her, pull her into my lap, pray for her, and pray with her. I will focus on the bigger picture of what God has in store for her rather than letting myself become encumbered by the "dailyness" of raising this energetic, independent, and determined toddler!