Choices

Recently my son (now 2 years 4 months old) has been expressing his desire for more independance. If it's time for bed he'll say "No bed daddy." If it's time for him to come to eat and he's not up for it he'll say "Watch Diego sun room." With this new expressive independance I've seen more protesting from time to time. Overall it's a non issue, we'll count down or ask "Are you listening to mommy and daddy?" and he gets the hint. But going further with him I've recently started to work with my son differnetly. I provide him choices.

If its time to get pajamas on for "night-night" I try not to ask him if he's ready for "night night". Instead I say "Caleb it's time for night night. Which pajamas do you want to wear. This one or this one?" By doing it this way it takes his focus off of whether or not he can protest going to bed and places his focus on what he wants, independance. He gets to pick one of two options (both of which satisfy me just fine).

In many ways our free will is this way. Ruling out options of blatant sinful behavior, many Christians get paralized in inaction because they are so afraid of one decision or another ruining God's "plan" for their life. I'm a person who holds to the idea that I'm far too small to ruin God's plan. Apart from walking away from Him and his desires for my life I believe God is big enough to handle whatever road I take out of several positive options He's provided me.

Many times in life you will find two or three equally Godly options. Don't be paralized by indecision. Just move. Like an old football coach of mine would say "good things happen when you move your feet".

Trust that He's big enough to handle whatever you decide to do. If God is trying to get you to end up at a place on the map I assure you that you'll end up there.

You can't ruin His agenda when you're passionately seeking Him.