Choosing Our Battles

Upside down sunglasses, a soccer jersey, batman pajama bottoms, no socks and running shoes on the wrong feet. Sounds like a typical 2 year old doesn't it? And a two year old who is very proud of himself for wearing all of his favorite things! As he came down the stairs "ready" to leave I couldn't help but chuckle and think "nope". Then, right before I sent him back upstairs to change, I thought " why?  Why does he need to change? He's doing nothing wrong and I was the one who told him to get dressed without picking clothes out for him". By telling him to go and change I would be crushing his spirit, causing a temper tantrum due to my own poor instruction and not letting him be his own little person. It wasn't like we were headed to a nice dinner, we were headed to target and the grocery store. Who cares what people think?! And plus, it pleases my heart to see his personality shine when he shows people he picked out his own clothes!

Right now in church and Bible Study we are studying Ephesians 4:6- "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."
I love this passage! I don't think Paul would have written this if it wasn't easy to fall into provoking your children. For me, it's so easy to say "No" to Liam, but try to step back and figure out why you are about to say no. Is it because you don't want to clean up the mess, get up, or are too busy with your own thing that actually can wait? For me, these are usually the reasons. When I step back and look, those reasons are wrong and selfish, and what am I trying to teach him? Selflessness. Saying no when there isn't a good reason causes issue and once Liam is older and asks why, my response will be...uhhhh because mommy doesn't want to get up...provoking him and teaching him selfishness....these things matter! Anyways, now that I have babbled here's the picture of my sweet Liam in all his splendor!