My Gracie

One of the fun things about having a five year old has been watching Grace's personality develop. Many of you know that Grace is her own little woman (a.k.a. a strong-willed child) and that has led to many challenging days of me standing my ground and praying/hoping for the days when I see the positive sides of her personality come out in leadership (like running the United Nations).

Lately I have been seeing some pretty awesome qualities in my little leader.

-Work Ethic

Grace has an incredible work ethic. She sees that the job gets done and its done right. She is helpful at cleaning her room, making her bed, in our garden, cleaning off the table, sweeping, etc. She really is helpful when she wants to be, and that is a lot of the time.

-Honest

Grace has always been an honest child. When Jeremy would come home when she was little and we had a rough day she would usually "confess her sins" before he barely got in the door. We would laugh (later) as she listed off all the things she had done that day. She continues to be honest and I often see conviction for her wrong actions when she knows she was wrong. (As long as its not a grey area we are good to go. This girl's black and white all over!)

-Thankful

Grace's prayers are often those of thanks. She used to always pray, "Thank you God for the WHOLE WIDE world." Recently she has shown her growing maturity by often praying, "Thank you God for sending your son Jesus down to earth to die for our sins."

-Nurturing

Grace is a little mother hen for sure. If I ever drop the ball she is close at hand to help me out. She is always quick to remind people Titus can't have dairy, grab her sister's blanket "pink", or remind her siblings of the rules.

I like to highlight these strengths because I am really learning how all my children's traits have a positive side and a more negative side and a spectrum in between. It is showing me how to redirect the negative behavior towards the more positive God-quality in them. For example, on the one hand Grace is nurturing but this can easily turn into being bossy. (I guess thats why I love being a mom (a full time nurturer- I was a pretty bossy kid)

The "traits" we are bent towards aren't always strictly good or bad. While I've always known being strong willed wasn't bad I am seeing that any strength carried out to an extreme can become your greatest weakness. I definitely see that in myself. I know that the positive strong work ethic I have can venture over into over commitment & burnout if I'm not careful. Even honesty when carried out to an extreme can cause difficulties. (I'm hearing that quote from Bambi in my brain "If you can't say something nice....)

Grace is definitely my daughter in the fact that she isn't big on change. As we prepare to sell our house she has suggested, "Mama, if we need a new house can't we just paint our yellow one a different color?" And I have flashbacks to myself laying on the pink carpet of our bathroom crying and thinking my parents were totally crazy for replacing it with linoleum. (Yeah....I was a bit crazy. Now you know why I worry so much about how the kids will do with a move...)

But, as an adult I know that God is in change. And I am so thankful for some of the "changes" I see in my daughter. I guess that 45 minute knock down drag out to pick up her crayons was worth it, huh? So, to all you mamas of 2 & 3 year olds take heart there are moments of reprieve somewhere around age 4 & 5. (But, don't tell Faith because we are still working on a couple of her "battles.")

Gracie,

I know you will be a strong leader for the Lord one day. I pray you will continue to be thankful and honest as you grow. I see so much of myself in you. I know you struggle with change and control. You want the world to be fair and just. You have such a strong sense of what is right and what is wrong. I pray that as you grow that will be defined by God's word. I love you baby girl!

Mama