Independent
Let's just start this post off by saying, I'm not a morning person. At all. I try to be. But it's useless. I have a child that wakes up early, this has been a challenge for me for the past two years, but I'm learning to manage and be civil to everyone in my household at these early morning hours! However, since it takes me a little bit to "wake up", I find myself often getting easily frustrated and losing my patience with my daughter (not to mention others in my household). Thus pointing out many sinful areas in my own life. So it's a good thing, but it's not always easy.
{Flashback to a few days ago}
Karis is independent. She has reached the age where she insists on doing everything on her own. This one particular morning, it was driving me more crazy than it normally does. And as I mentioned before, being early in the morning as it so happened, I didn't have much patience in my tank to begin with!
Scene ONE: I walked out of her room in frustration and exclaimed to Steve..."SHE'S SO INDEPENDENT!" His response {my interpretation of his response}: "It bothers you because she's so much like you!" Now most people might think that's a harsh statement for a loving husband to say to his wife. But it's true. And I'm thankful for a husband who lovingly points out things that-even if I know in the back of my mind they're true-sometimes you need to hear it out loud.
Her independence that particular morning was displaying areas I've struggled with in life and have been/are areas in great need of sanctification. I have always wanted to teach our children to be independent, yet at the same time to be completely dependent on Christ for everything. How do I do this? I keep pointing them to their Creator, the One that holds all things together. Colossians 1 puts it simply:
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
This isn't an easy thing for me to teach them because it's an area I tend to struggle with in my own life. In the past, I've been labeled (by myself and others) as an independent person, yet I think somewhere along the way, I dismissed the fact that I am supposed to be completely dependent on Christ for everything. Not only am I supposed to be, but the fact is I am utterly and completely dependent on Him for all things. I'm sitting here with breath in my lungs, only because the Grace of God has allowed me another moment in my finite existince here on earth.
Scene TWO: She ends up calling me from her bedroom saying, "Mommy help me please"! This is typical of how things operate with her...I want to do it on my own, I don't need your help...moments later, HELP!
As is the case with my relationship with the Lord in some seasons of life. "No, Lord, I got this"..."on second thought...HELP!" Thus reminding me (as I mentioned before) I desperately need Christ. No matter how hard I try to do things on my own, I end up either messing it up or doing it haphazardly. But it's when I submit my sinful, selfish tendencies to the only One who can redeem, that I find myself at peace in knowing I'm being obedient to the Lord.
So here's to learning lessons from a two year old and throwing aside my own independent tendencies and indifference for the Lord's leadership of my life in order to allow Him to sanctify me as His chosen child. I'm thankful for moments where {despite my extremely tired state of mind that early in the morning} the Lord was gracefully teaching me how to honor Him better by loving others better and to depend on Him for all things. Cheers!
Jenny
{Flashback to a few days ago}
Karis is independent. She has reached the age where she insists on doing everything on her own. This one particular morning, it was driving me more crazy than it normally does. And as I mentioned before, being early in the morning as it so happened, I didn't have much patience in my tank to begin with!
Scene ONE: I walked out of her room in frustration and exclaimed to Steve..."SHE'S SO INDEPENDENT!" His response {my interpretation of his response}: "It bothers you because she's so much like you!" Now most people might think that's a harsh statement for a loving husband to say to his wife. But it's true. And I'm thankful for a husband who lovingly points out things that-even if I know in the back of my mind they're true-sometimes you need to hear it out loud.
Her independence that particular morning was displaying areas I've struggled with in life and have been/are areas in great need of sanctification. I have always wanted to teach our children to be independent, yet at the same time to be completely dependent on Christ for everything. How do I do this? I keep pointing them to their Creator, the One that holds all things together. Colossians 1 puts it simply:
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
This isn't an easy thing for me to teach them because it's an area I tend to struggle with in my own life. In the past, I've been labeled (by myself and others) as an independent person, yet I think somewhere along the way, I dismissed the fact that I am supposed to be completely dependent on Christ for everything. Not only am I supposed to be, but the fact is I am utterly and completely dependent on Him for all things. I'm sitting here with breath in my lungs, only because the Grace of God has allowed me another moment in my finite existince here on earth.
Scene TWO: She ends up calling me from her bedroom saying, "Mommy help me please"! This is typical of how things operate with her...I want to do it on my own, I don't need your help...moments later, HELP!
As is the case with my relationship with the Lord in some seasons of life. "No, Lord, I got this"..."on second thought...HELP!" Thus reminding me (as I mentioned before) I desperately need Christ. No matter how hard I try to do things on my own, I end up either messing it up or doing it haphazardly. But it's when I submit my sinful, selfish tendencies to the only One who can redeem, that I find myself at peace in knowing I'm being obedient to the Lord.
So here's to learning lessons from a two year old and throwing aside my own independent tendencies and indifference for the Lord's leadership of my life in order to allow Him to sanctify me as His chosen child. I'm thankful for moments where {despite my extremely tired state of mind that early in the morning} the Lord was gracefully teaching me how to honor Him better by loving others better and to depend on Him for all things. Cheers!
Jenny
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