Out of the Mouth of Babes: Tantrums

I stopped by the kiddos house one morning and was there to witness breakfast.  Tiny was in her high chair and inhaling her food, as usual.  My sister got out a yogurt container, set it in front of Tiny on the tray for a second, and then thought better of it and took the container back to dump the yogurt into a bowl (which was much more baby friendly).  I watched as Tiny threw a royal tantrum at having her yogurt taken away, and would not be comforted in the slightest until the bowl was safely back on her tray.

As I pondered the gargantuan effort that she had expended in protesting the less than a minute delay in eating… I suddenly realized that sometimes I act the exact same way to the Lord!  I throw fantastic tantrums of protest when I don’t get my desired blessing immediately, when all He is really doing is taking it back for a moment to put it in a much more appropriate package for me.  But His timing seems so long to my mortal view, just as seconds must have seemed like eons to a baby. 

You would think at some point I’d learn once and for all to finally let go, and let God - in all aspects of my life.  But the truth is that I still fight with Him, a lot.  He always wins, and He is always right, but that still doesn’t stop me from protesting stubbornly when my expectations and timing don’t line up with His.  So thanks Tiny for teaching me about myself, and how much I’m still learning as an infant in eyes of the Lord.

One of my favorite scriptures, Doctrine & Covenants 78:17-18:

    “Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye are little children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands and prepared for you;

    “And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours.”