This is Connor:
Connor has recently taken his first bites of cereal. Yesterday morning, after about three bites, this is what he looked like:
Do I get mad at him for making a mess? Of course not.
Do I expect him to already know to eat? Nope.
Is my patience running out because we're a couple weeks into this cereal thing and he still gets so messy? No.
It's New Year's Resolution time, as Camy drew our attention to yesterday. I don't know about you, but I always have a long list of things I'm hoping to improve on in the coming year. And I know there are a couple things God would like me to work on. Wow, is it going slow.
But as I've been working with Connor on the whole cereal thing, it occurred to me that God probably doesn't mind the learning process either. He knows these traits and disciplines feel foreign to me, and He gets that it takes time. And it won't bother Him when I mess up along the way.
You know what would frustrate me with Connor? Is if he didn't even try to eat. If he just locked his mouth shut and refused. Because he needs to learn to eat. From his perspective, I'm sure it feels unnecessary. He's gone his entire life without doing this stuff, why start with this goopy stuff now? But of course I know that if he doesn't, bad things will happen.
Thankfully, Connor's trusting me on this and has learned to enjoy his food. Just like if we keep plugging away at the things God's trying to teach us, we'll find enjoyment there as well. In the meantime, it's okay to get messy.
Stephanie Morrill is a twenty-something living in Overland Park, Kansas with her husband and two kids. Her only talents are reading, writing, and drinking coffee, so career options were somewhat limited. Fortunately, she discovered a passion for young adult novels a few years ago and has been writing them ever since. Stephanie is the author of The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt series and is currently working on other young adult projects. To check out her blog and read samples of her books, check out www.StephanieMorrillBooks.com and www.GoTeenWriters.com.
5 comments:
This post blessed me. Thank you for writing it. :)
I'm so glad, Gia!
Something similar struck me yesterday when I was contemplating how long it really took the Wise Men to get to Jesus. They took a several-year journey, following a star, to meet the King of the world. So why do I expect to achieve everything in a day? Following Him is a process. I love your insight into it!
Oh, he is SO cute!
And thanks for the post. We need to be reminded of that a lot, I think -- it's okay to get messy! We don't have to get it right at the start. God will help us.
Wonderful how you related Connor and the cereal with our relationship with God. Nice post.
Andie
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