How quickly....

I'm sure plenty of you read the title of this blog and think I'm about to talk about "where has my baby gone" or "she's just getting so big". It's true. I have a big girl now, but I love it! 

There are a few things I don't do. 

1. I don't complain about my age. Mostly because I'm 28. I think. I lost a year having a baby and now I really have to think about how old I am (I was 26 for 2 years ;)). But also because God created us to get older, and I am grateful to get older! There is NO WAY I want to go back to the person I was at 23...or 21....or 18. I know people who have complained about turning 25, 30, 40 or a lot of other things. I choose to be joyful about what God has given me and enjoy my life. 
2. I don't complain or dwell on the fact that my daughter is getting so big. God intended for her little body and brain to grow and develop and change, it's my job to enjoy the stages in her life! It's my job to be like Mary and "...treasure up all these things and ponder them in [my] heart." Luke 2:19 I love watching her change and grow. I love everything she has done so far and I look forward to what is to come!

I will tell you, though, I'm surprised how quickly her little sin nature has shown up. As she becomes more and more aware of her surroundings, she becomes more and more aware of what is right and wrong, and she isn't always choosing what is right!

Wow.

She's 14 months old!

She's already getting into things she shouldn't be into and hiding in the corner playing with it so she won't get caught!

She runs when I see her with something she knows she shouldn't have!

She cuts her eyes.

She throws little fits.

She fake cries.

Wow. 

Don't get me wrong. I seriously have a very well behaved baby. God has blessed us with a baby with her father's easy going nature. She is full of life and joy that is so contagious! She has a little bit of her mama's stubbornness (Coward stubbornness as my sister lovingly refers to it) and she is an ornery little thing, but even that adds to the fact that she is a great baby who goes with the flow and is so easy easy easy to love.

Yet, she is human. She is imperfect. She is a sinner. Woah.

I'm not grown up enough to be a parent! 28 isn't old enough. God hasn't given me enough wisdom (I pray for wisdom a LOT) to raise a child in this century. 

I'm grateful for His grace. I'm grateful for my parents, and the church and friends He has surrounded my family with. They have much more wisdom than I.

How do we shelter her without being a helicopter? How do we let her assert her independence in a world that is so scary? How do we lead her to the Lord? How do we encourage her to make good choices? How do we discipline this sweet sweet stinker?

Proverbs - Chapter 2:1-6 My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

How in the world did my parents do this?

Woah.