Confessing

I have a confession:

I interrupt my children.  

Quite often.

I don't do it to be rude or because I think that what I have to say is more important (though sometimes it's more pressing, like if it's got something to do with looking where one is going or to get the scissors from a certain toddler or something petty like that).  I do it because a) I want to help and b) can be impatient.

I do it because sometimes language development involves taking an eternity to spit out one blasted sentence!  And when I already know where the child is going with what he's saying, isn't it a good thing to help supply the phrasing he's looking for and make it possible for the rest of the world to keep spinning?

I thought so.  Until I started being driven bonkers by everyone interrupting everyone else (especially me) and one day I realized that it was because I have been interrupting them for as long as they've been talking!

oops.

So I've been working on that for the last 6 months or so, and I'm getting better about that.  But still it's hard when you know what a child needs and you can give it to them in about 2 seconds instead of watching them struggle.  Rather, it's better to wait until that child has been given the time to process, figure out and select which words are the ones he wants to use.  Sometimes he'll ask for help finding the word he's looking for, and it's usually right there on the tip of my brain, waiting for him to ask.  Or I'll see the struggle, get impatient, and offer the word that I think it might be.

This afternoon I was thinking--shocker!--and had a little light bulb moment that Heavenly Father works in the same way.  He can give us exactly what we need in about 2 seconds, but because He loves us, He waits patiently and lets us process, struggle, problem-solve, try again, fall down, get back up and do whatever we do until we ask Him for help.  Sometimes, however, I think maybe he gets tired of waiting for us and offers us little hints about what we He already knows we need.  (Disclaimer:  in absolutely no way do I believe that God has any imperfections like impatience.  Hopefully you get the gist of what I'm trying to say.)

That's what He's done for me; I've had lots of hints lately.

And I'm finally starting to get it.  But I don't want this to get really long because then it's a chore to read.  So I'll elaborate later and finish with one of my favorite jokes...it's one of the few I can actually remember.

Knock Knock

Who's there?

Interrupting Cow

Interrupting Co--
MOO!