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Moments for Mom

By Elisabeth Corcoran, Author of Calm in My Chaos.

Fall 2001

Jack and Sara were playing in our backyard on the swingset. My husband had installed a new swing on there (think Tim-the-Toolman-Taylor and his quest for everything to have more power). Now, of course, both kids want to swing in the new swing each time. (We were better off without that ‘improvement’!)

And I heard the beginnings of what was about to be a very interesting conversation. Sara began to lecture Jack, as Jack had beaten her to the swing. ‘You know, Jack,’ she said, hands on her almost 5-year-old hips, ‘you could do this God’s way or your way. God’s way is sharing. Don’t you want to do it God’s way, Jack?’

Funny how it never even crossed her mind that God’s way probably more so translated to her waiting her turn patiently. But what do you expect from a preschooler? Jack’s answer, of course, a simple, 3-year-old, right-to-the-point, ‘My way,’ and he kept on swinging.

I had to intervene before God’s way turned into something reminiscent of an Old Testament battle. So I made the above suggestion to Sara (that she take turns), which she quickly discounted as viable, and after realizing whining was not getting her anywhere, promptly went on to stealing Jack’s bike in the hopes of getting him off the swing. It worked. Sara’s version of God’s way prevailed.

But that got me thinking (as most of what Sara and Jack say tends to). Two thoughts came to mind: How often do I choose, either out of blatant selfishness or outright lack of truth, my way over God’s way of doing things? And how much of my spiritual journey is simply Beth’s version of God’s way?

Both of these thoughts lead me to a realization that I can only truly choose God’s way when a) I am learning enough about God through his word to even know what God’s way would look like, and b) I would only want to choose God’s way over mine when I am walking with him closely enough to remember constantly that his love and plan for me are bigger and better than my love and plan for myself.

Copyright © Elisabeth K. Corcoran, 2001. Elisabeth K. Corcoran is the author of "Calm in My Chaos: Encouragement for a Mom's Weary Soul". This column is original and not excerpted from her book. Reprinted with permission.

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