The Nanny's Nook

Last week was a good Nanny week. Warm weather = not cooped up in the house!

The only downside to last week is I do believe I caught a little head cold from the baby, H. Poor little guy was sick on Friday! And coincidentally, Saturday, I progressively obtained a good ole sinus infection.... (insert Steve Urkel style, open mouth breathing). I'm out of tissues and I've downgraded to napkins...poor decision (pun intended)

Children will never cease to provide me with analogies of God relating to his people and illustrations of myself, the inner me. The me I have learned to sometimes ignore and to put away in a box because it's just not socially accepted, or really even mature at all. Especially when the inner me wants to burst into tears, run away, scream, or stomp my selfish feet because I've not "gotten" something I desired and consequently thought I deserved - which is the mentality of EVERY toddling tot alive.

Unfortunately, I think the inner child of all of us never really goes away. The tantrums of the heart are just fleshed out in more mature, and often times calculated ways. I think of this inner child as my sin/flesh often times. It has a limited understanding and perspective and it's a struggle to live outside of it's daily cravings, desires, wantings.

One of the tots I watch is good about showing this struggle. When the demonstration occurs, I kind of just smile because I know how she feels and it's uncanny. She is newly two and working through the sharing aspect of growing up. She will agree to share when asked but once the object of her attention is given away, oh, does the fist clinching and crying begin. The tears and screams cease once she is gently reminded what she's chosen to do and why.

I see this at 24yrs in my own heart and can totally relate. Losing something you enjoyed for something better is hard and I often fail, just as she does, to delight in doing the right thing, as God would desire. How hard it is sometimes!

~ p.carrick ~