I originally wrote this blog entry several years ago, while potty training this sweet boy, Isaac – who, by the way actually is potty trained now! 🙂 But, I needed this reminder today…
There comes a time in a mother’s life when she expects all of her hard work to come to fruition. Its a specific point where her success or failure is measured.
Where does every mother of a preschooler come to feel this pressure? The very understanding that this is a matter of life and death? In the bathroom, that’s where. I am that mother, with that sense of urgency this morning. Unfortunately, my son does not share that sense with me.
To my children, I’ve become that woman who runs around the house, slightly frazzled, constantly asking, “Do you need to go potty?” My sweet little boy, who never answers yes, is taken to the bathroom religiously on the hour. Sometimes we make it in time. Sometimes we don’t. And, as we change his pants, because invariably we have at least one accident in one form or another on a daily basis, he says things to me like, “I wuv you mommy, I hug you.” or, “I tell you next time mommy. tomorrow I poo poo on the potty.”
If you are a mother of a son in elementary school, I know what you are going to tell me. You are going to say that one day the light bulb will come on and he will just start doing what he needs to do. While that is encouraging – it is not enough for the moment. There are days when I feel confident that my son will need pull ups for his dorm room in college. I assure you I cannot afford pull ups into the next decade.
So far this morning we have been to the potty three times. My son has managed to make it without any accidents. And he has promised me each time that he plans to poo poo on the potty later today, but it is still asleep. (please don’t ask me what that means, because I don’t know) However, he also tells me that Larry the Cucumber poo poos on the potty and does not have accidents in his pull up. I am not encouraged.
But, just now as we finished up and washed hands, he hugged me and I kissed him on the forehead. And I had a moment. I briefly, but distinctly heard the heavenly father say, “Why don’t you talk to me about this?”
Surely the God of the universe is not interested in my son’s potty training habits.
But I am reminded that actually, He is. Or maybe he is interested in the general well being of our household. Whichever the case I feel confident He wants me to talk to Him about it. And not just about this, but about all of it.
It seems that He gave me these Scripture verses from Romans 12 this morning to encourage me in my very particular situation. Its sandwiched in the middle of a chapter about being a servant. How ironic, as I learn again how to be a servant on this journey with my son.
Romans 12 : 11-12 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
He cares about the small stuff – and the big stuff, like potty training. He gives me a new word to help me through each day, even each minute. And today I needed to know that He cares. Its grace for this very moment, even as the timer rings. Its time to take someone to the potty.
md
(one of my favorites, originally written February 10, 2010)
daily portion 