I know it’s never too late to apply the principles of recovery and healing to our lives, but I also believe that it’s never too early. My granddaughter Eliza went through a tantrum phase that had us all baffled. One day she was spending the afternoon with me when she had occasion (and any occasion would do) to come apart at the seams. I sent her to a room to cool down.
After a few minutes I walked into the room and found a little girl full of remorse. “Grandma, I’m sorry. I won’t ever, ever, ever have a fit like that again.” Seeing my opportunity, I said, “Eliza, that’s not true. You have been trying and trying to fix this problem for a long time, and no matter how many promises you make or how many prizes you earn, you always do it again. You know what? You can’t fix this by yourself, but there is someone who can give you the power to change.”
Right there in the nursery, I sat with a four-year-old and explained that because of Jesus and His suffering, we can ask Heavenly Father to change our hearts and give us the power to change the way we act. Then we had a little prayer together and asked God to give Eliza the power to stop doing something that was destructive to her four-year-old self. We appealed to the Lord for the same enabling power that the recovering addict seeks every new day.
This life is full of opportunities to be with, play with, teach, serve and influence little children. Maybe the greatest service we can offer is to help them understand and act upon the truth that they are never alone when it comes to solving even the most child size problems of life. I want to remember that the grace of God is not just for grown people with big problems. I don’t have to wait until it’s a matter of life and death to share the availability of God with even my youngest heavenly brothers and sisters.
By Nannette W.
Posted Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Copyright 2008 by Nannette W. All right reserved.
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I love this one. Not that I can really relate because I have never had a tantrum :), but it is great to think about how important it is to teach when you have the opportunities. A great thought. Thanks for sharing. Keep em coming. This is great!