"I've got a wheel in my eye"

Duke has been showing such an interest in cars lately! We are so amazed that he moves them while making car sound effects. How does he know to do that? Anything with a wheel on it, whether it be a bike, a car, a wagon, etc. is so attractive to Duke. He starts grabbing his own shirt and wiggling his fingers (that is how he signs 'please') whenever he sees a "wheeled" item. Today he got to spend a lot of time outside while Mommy and Daddy were doing yard work. He absolutely loves it outside. He came in a crashed without my help. It blows my mind that he is starting to go to sleep on his own without even being rocked. What a big boy! He loves his monkey and cuddles it. He has also, in the last few days, fallen to sleep holding his beloved tooth brush or his new gold hummer hot wheel.

Brushing his teeth is another favorite activity. Only he will have no help, thank you. He like sucking on the wet bristles. I am not really sure how much cleaning that does, but at least he doesn't have an aversion to tooth brushing!

Duke has now entered a stage of accountability with Mommy and Daddy. He understands the word 'no' and many other words for that matter. He is very capable of protesting and he remembers which cabinets are his to play in and which are not. Since he spends most of his time in our home, his boundaries remain consistent and predictable. I am very thankful for him and the way that God is using DUKE to discipline me. I have a responsibility to teach him self control and 'cause and effect' but watching him has taught me so much about myself. It is so easy to be focused solely on his actions, choices and progress and neglect my own. Lately I have been thinking a lot of this verse:

Luke 6:41
"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?

I often hear the woes of the "terrible two's" from others, and I often hear myself saying: "Mommy said 'no' " more frequently than I would prefer. However, the amazing thing is that recently I have felt a still small voice inside of me showing me my own lack of self control. Self control. Self Control. That is mostly what this word discipline is about right? Teaching my son self-control in respecting his boundaries, authorities and most of all honoring God. I desire to parent him in a way that reveals his humanity, his need for Christ's forgiveness; then to ultimately, please Jesus, lead him to Christ.

Perhaps then I should begin in my own heart. I have to receive the wiser 'no's and instructions that I hear. Dang. That really puts it in perspective.

Duke has such a clean slate. Where is life going to take him? What will he do? Who will he be? Where will he go? I pray that he is a man of God. That he would love ONE woman with a passion. That he would raise up a generation of children to fear God and honor him. I must surrender my control to God--as if I really had any to begin with. For me, this is fear and worry, and the feeling that I have to CONTROL my son. Wrong. I have a very real responsibility to him and to God; however try as I may, I cannot CONTROL him or his will. I easily allow myself to be taken over by my mind's anxiety. I learned last week that the most frequently used command in all of scripture is: "Do not fear." I have learned that I don't have the strength to drive away worry or anxiety apart from Christ. I mean really, how far am I going to let fear manipulate me? It is very easy for me to be anxious about the 'what ifs'. But apart from the what ifs this is what I know: 1.Duke is the Lord's. 2. God is faithful. 3. God will take care of us. I cannot control everything or protect him from everything; but what a relief that our loving and wise heavenly Father can. I love him so much and thank God every day for him.

Joshua 23:14

You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.