A
switch has been flipped in our home lately that has allowed me to reflect on
something. Liberty has decided that her
new motto is, “Libby do it!” She is insistent
on doing EVERYTHING herself. I find myself
smiling in these moments as I sit back and watch her struggle to do something
(and sometimes I know that there is no way she will be able to accomplish
various tasks she wants to) but I want her to try. I know she will feel so good
once she has completed her mission. The part I find interesting is that for the
older kids it has been very hard for them to not jump in and rescue her in
doing something wrong. This inference sends
Liberty in a tailspin of sorts because she soooo badly wants to do it.
The
other day she was determined to get her pajamas on. As she struggled in getting the shorts on and
then the shirt the other kids could not control the urge to lend a helping hand
which made the process longer because she was so protective of her independence. When she felt that she had finally done it
she stood proud that she was dressed!
Then it set in slowly that what she had done wasn't so comfortable. Her arm was stuck uncomfortably out the same opening
as her neck hole… confused she struggled to figure out how to fix this. This is when it became extremely difficult
for the on-looking children. If they
could just pull her arm out for her and show her the right arm-hole this would
all be over… but that wasn't going to happen because, “Libby do it!”
Embarrassment
and fear that one of the kids would laugh or take over sent her into the other
room to allow her the time she needed to sort this out. She was in there for some time and wasn't getting any closer. A bit of a meltdown was
coming but she wasn't ready for help yet.
She continued to walk into the kitchen as she struggled in her
efforts. I watched as her older sister
followed her, quietly telling her she was doing a good job. As Liberty heard this she slowly started to
soften and her older sister started telling her where her arm needed to
be. Slowly Liberty allowed her to help
her get her arm in the right place.
Success!!... Well kind of… everything was on backwards but she was
happy!
It
made me think of our own struggles that we have in life. We have a loving Father in Heaven who is
waiting to help but far too often we are insistent that we can do it! He is quietly encouraging us as we go trying
to allow us to see the right course to take.
If we would rely on Him right from the very beginning it would be so
much easier but we are so determined to be independent in all we do; so we
learn, over and over again the hard way.
Don’t get me wrong, I believe in these struggles because it is through
our struggles that our hearts will soften and allow us to lean on Him. Our learning curve might be rough but the
reality that our Father in Heaven is smiling with encouragement and love is
real. He just needs us to be ready and
willing to let him in so He can help us.
I am
so grateful to have a loving Father in Heaven that I feel in my heart on a
daily basis. Some days I feel it stronger than others; it all depends on me and
where my heart is.
