Thursday, August 16, 2007

Reaping The Harvest

I was about ready to pull my hair out yesterday. Will isn't even two yet, but he's been giving hints of going through the "terrible twos". Not that he is a bad child by any means. But when he gets frustrated (a toy doesn't do what he wants, he can't make something work, etc), he loses it. He wails, sometimes raises his jabbering a decibel or two, and throws a fit. After spatting his rear end several times earlier in the day and giving him several other options, I had reached my limit. Last night, he started throwing another one during our play time. I got down in his face and looked him in the eye and asked, "No fit! Do you want momma to spank you again?" With tears streaming down his face, he shook his head 'no' and kissed me right on the lips. How could I discipline him? He had 'gotten' my point with my one question.

Dr.Phil McGraw is often quoted as saying, "You either get it or you don't". Some people just don't get it...whatever 'it' seems to be at the time. It can be frustrating trying to do the right thing and staying the course, but the Bible tells us not to give in. Galatians 6:9 says "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Paul is saying if we live primarily to please our flesh, we'll find ourselves spiritually impoverished now and bankrupt in heaven later. But if we live by the Spirit, we shall see fruit in our present circumstances and also have a rich reward waiting for us in heaven.

Any farmer will tell you the harvest comes when the season is over, and no sooner. One of the joys of farming is tending to the crop, making sure it has the best chance at growth, going through the stress of the weather, then seeing the crop come full circle and reaping the rewards financially. Persistence isn't always the easiest road ahead of us in whatever life may bring. But the harvest comes after the season is over and God allows us to see how our hard work paid off. Not only will we be blessed, but those around us will be, too.

1 comment:

Tommy, Suzanne, and Mary Peyton said...

oh my goodness. i hate that you are going through it, too, but i'm glad to know that i'm not the only one. of course i KNOW i'm not, but it seems like other moms don't talk about it. no doubt my child is going through the "2's". and i just blogged about it, too.

i hate to call them terrible because, like you said, when they grab your face and kiss or hug you, there is nothing sweeter in the world. so sometimes they are terrible and sometimes terrific. so now i just say we are in our "2's".

guess all of us "2's" moms will just hang in there together, huh? i'll pray for you if you pray for me!!! =)