I will be honest.
Age Three has been the biggest challenge to my mothering. I mean it has tried me in every possible way and had me learn a lot of patience. And I snap. I struggle with how to discipline. And yet I love with every ounce of my being.
{and this is where I say that I know most of you with teens or grown children are saying "Sweetie - you have not seen anything yet, just wait until you have teenagers." Which is kind of how I feel when I read things first time mothers of newborns write about how tough it is. I want to scream "Oh this is the EASIEST time of your mothering years. I would give anything to go back to one easy little baby". (Of course I'm forgetting how they scream and want you to hold them constantly and never sleep. ha!)}
As hard as the age three is on me as a mother, it also does something really great. It has taught me more about my relationship with Christ than almost anything else.
I have found that I behave almost exactly like a three year old to MY Heavenly Father and these are the ways that three year olds and I are similar in the eye of Christ:
1. WHINING
This is the thing that does me in the most. I feel like I say about 100 times a day, "Please stop whining". And then I realize, I spend an awful lot of time whining to God. I'm sure God finds it extremely annoying how whiny I can be when I have so much to be thankful for.
2. CRYING
There is SOOOOOOOOO much crying over every little issue in our house. I try so hard to give grace for emotions. But God hears me cry over things that I'm sure He must think "That is so small in the scheme of your life and what I have planned for you. Don't get so upset over things you don't understand".
3. REPEATING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER
My girls have a habit of saying something over and over and over because they think I'm not listening or I don't answer them quick enough.
BOOM
Who is guilty of that? I can think of a thousand things I have asked of God OVER AND OVER AND OVER because I think he is not listening or answering me quick enough.
4. DISOBEDIENCE
There are so many times that my girls just will not obey what I ask them to do. Often it's things I ask them to do for their safety and it's hard for me when they just will not obey. And I know I do the same to God so often.
5. DEFIANT BEHAVIOR
One thing I can't stand is when my kids look me in the face and say "no". I can think of so many times that God has asked me to do something and I basically just look Him in the face and say "NO!" I wonder how that makes Him feel.
6. SELFISHNESS
Harper is so sharing now but around three she did not want anyone to touch her stuff. "Mine!" is the word they love to say. They like to hoard their stuff and announce to everyone that it is THEIRS. Aren't we like this often with our possessions and money? I like to think I'm not but I know I could give a lot more than I do. We always could. Or just selfish with time.
But Being Three is not completely bad. There are some amazing things about that age. There is sweet personality in there. There is an innocence. They are learning so much and soaking up life like sponges. There is also........
7. COMPLETE TRUST
The girls trust that I am their mom and that I love them and will always take care of them and protect them. As a Christian I struggle with doubt and worry but I really do trust that God has me in the palm of His hands.
8. UNCONDITIONAL LOVE
I know that no matter what I do (at this point in their lives) - those little girls ADORE me. I can mess up, I can not be a Pinterest-worthy mom, I can be a not cool mom, but they love me no matter what. And that is how I feel with God. I love Him. I love Him because He loves me.
Of course Three would be an age that would teach me about Jesus. Three is the perfect number, the Trinity. And Jesus said "Let the little children come unto me..............."
Even 40 year old children.
