“Change happens chaotically. It comes unannounced, in fits, and starts…Change is pushed upon us by a persevering Redeemer, who will not walk away from the work he has begun…He will not submit to our schedule or agenda for our day. He has not promised that change will be enjoyable each time or a comfortable process over the long haul. He has promised to stay near us, giving us everything we need, and he has guaranteed that we will be more than we ever thought we could be. So, he calls us to be patient, He calls us to be willing to wait. He calls us to continue when continuing us hard, and as we are continuing to look for any way we can to incarnate his transforming love.” – Paul Tripp from the book “What did You Expect”
Granted, the above quoted book is on marriage, but the quote can apply to parenting as well. I need to remind myself that change does not happen over night but we need to continue to persevere because Christ has done that and more for us. Below is a somewhat serious and light-hearted post of current changes in our household.
- The bookshelf: before kids I had my bookshelf organized by genre then within that alphabetical by author. Currently this is what it looks like due to Isaac thinking he needs to take the books off the shelf, so until he learns not to touch we are just stacking books sometimes with no order what so ever. It’s not necessarily a bad thing because he will learn eventually not to touch, but I just thought the change was interesting.
- Learning to be a helper: Graham is learning to be a helper by taking care of his plate or milk cup after dinner, cleaning up his toys before nap time, and pushing his cart (he thinks this one is fun) at Trader Joe’s. I have to remind myself especially when it comes to having him help clean up the toys that it might be a battle every day, but in the long run it will pay off in some form or another.
- Both boys go down for their nap at the same time: This has been a gradual change, but I can now put them both down for their naps at the same time and they don’t just cry at each other.
- Isaac sleeping through the night: Not every night but more than not the past two or three weeks Isaac has been sleeping through the night. Sometimes I’ll hear him crying in the middle of the night, but for the most part he has fallen back asleep. This change is hopeful because he’s been a pretty bad sleeper as a baby and sleep training hasn’t seemed to work.
- Home Health Physical Therapy: Jacob is taking on a second job doing home health physical therapy two days a month on top of working full-time at froedtert. It should be an interesting environment for him to experience.
I am thankful for the Lord’s continued faithfulness to us even through silly little every day changes of life.
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