God Thought #3: Control

The past two Saturdays have been absolutely glorious! They've been filled with family fun-ness! Last Saturday we went to a very small, I'm not sure you can even call it a patch, pumpkin patch. We'll just call it a parking lot full of pumpkins. Nonetheless, it was a great fun trip for our little family. This weekend we spent Friday night at the tree house painting/carving pumpkins. Saturday morning was spent handing out free links and drinks to people in the community and then tonight we went to Vidor for our nephew Seth's birthday party. I'm finding out more and more just how much I enjoy spending time with my family and keeping my priorities straight, not to overload my schedule, and to make time for the fun stuff.

During these little fun activities, my teacher brain wants to provide Sam with all the learning experiences possible, like drawing with sidewalk chalk (which he could care less about), or learning to color (which he is getting the hang of), and this past weekend was painting with a paint brush. I call these learning experiences for Sam, but excercises for me. They are excercises for me to let go of the reins so to speak and to let Sam have fun and enjoy himself. A part of me wanted to make Sam use the paint brush when he wanted, and rather enjoyed it more, to use his fingers to paint the pumpkin. That was a small victory. I could have had a power struggle on my hands. Me, the controlling mother, and Sam the very independant toddler these days. BUT...I let it go. What's the point? Is the point for things to always go my way or for Sam to have fun experiences with his family? Even though that may seem like such a tiny thing for some of you, for me it's a big deal. I am a planner, organizer, list maker, CONTROLLER to a fault. In some cases, these things are great, but most of the time they are not. Why you ask? Well, because the world doesn't revolve around me, that's why! And I need to be okay when things don't go my way...even little things. Just saying that out loud makes me think of a spoiled brat pitching a fit. Not that I ever did throw a fit like a little kid, but in my spirit I will admit a little fit throwing.

God is slowly teaching me through Sam's learning experiences and my excercises in giving up control that it's better when God has His way to begin with. His way is so much better than my manipulated situations anyway.