Yesterday I took all four kids to the doctor.
Yes, I’m crazy.
With Eli starting Kindergarten in a couple of weeks and Silas turning two months on Sunday we were in need of check-ups.
Height, weight and vitals were all taken and recorded. For those interested, Silas now weighs 14.8 lbs and is 24″ long. That means in the last 6 weeks he’s grown three inches and gained 5 pounds. Can you say chunker?
Then it was shot time. I was not expecting Eli to need shots. I had told him he wouldn’t get shots.
I was wrong.
Eli needed two shots and one finger prick for a blood test. Last year when I took him to the doctor he got 6 shots.
That was a somewhat traumatic day for him. Because of the sheer number of needles coming at him I told him he could get one Hot Wheel car for each shot. Good plan at the time, but it’s backfiring now.
He now thinks he gets a toy every time he gets a shot.
Entitlement
According to Webster’s dictionary, entitlement is “the state or condition of being entitled : right; belief that one is deserving of or entitled to certain privileges.”
According to mommy’s dictionary, entitlement is being spoiled.
As we left the doctor’s office, Eli had a sucker in one hand and a sticker in the other…and he was asking me non-stop when we would go to Target to get his cars. The treats that used to make going to the doctor ok were now no longer enough. He felt like he deserved more.
As a parent I want to give my children good things. It’s fun to buy them toys and take them on vacation and make them happy. However, I’m quickly learning that they have short-term memories. They forget the ice cream they just ate as soon as they seen the balloon man at the Farmer’s Market.
Grace
I’m so grateful God doesn’t give me what I’m entitled to.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 6:23
Instead:
The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Ps 103:8-12
This year has been full of God showing me my entitlement issues.
I felt entitled to a plan.
I felt entitled to healing for my Grandma.
I felt entitled to a smooth labor and delivery according to my timeline.
Those are just the big things. I’m discovering new things everyday that I feel entitled to. Just yesterday I felt that taking all four kids to the doctor by myself entitled me to some Starbucks. I didn’t need to buy it and I probably shouldn’t have, but I felt I deserved it.
Just like my kids, I have forgotten the things God just did for me in the face of new wants and desires. Even worse, because I feel like I deserve these things I have forgotten to appreciate what I’ve already been given. The sucker and sticker are no longer enough.
Today I’m choosing to remember what I really deserve from God and to be grateful for what He’s given me instead.
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great reminder….when we look in the face of our kids we see more of ourselves than just eye and hair color, huh? and so true about how we forget what God gives us at times…i realized this on my ride home from palm springs yesterday, but that’s tomorrow’s post….
so this is totally random but going on in the background as i type:
maddie: let’s watch a movie!
bella: mads, you know meeee…I’m not big on movies.
maddie: well, you ARE my sister, but I don’t really know that much about you…
silly girls. i’ll miss these overheard conversations when school starts! 😉
Look forward to reading it! 🙂 Loved the background noise. Mine includes “Little Bill” on TV and the baby crying as Cora holds him. Oops! Now Eli’s trying to reposition him…gotta run! 🙂
Finally got my post written…it was one of those days, is it Monday? 😉 Haha! I think I’ll go swimming now! Calgon take me away!!!
What great pictures you got! I’ve never driven out that way and now I’m thinking it would be a fun trip for us sometime. I know what you mean about it being one of those days. Yesterday seemed like the longest day ever. 🙂 I hope that today’s a better one for you.
Wow… what a wonderful post! Such a great reminder of how blessed we truly are by God’s grace.
His grace is an amazing blessing. Which always makes me wonder why I can so easily forget it. 🙂
I definitely needed to be reminded of that. I didn’t even realize I’ve been having entitlement issues until I read this. Great post!
Woops! Sorry. 🙂 I think everyone has entitlement issues, on some level. I just hope that realizing my entitlement is an issue means I am working on it. Does that make sense?
Yes that makes sense! 🙂
Hi. I am visiting from iFellowship. It is nice to “meet” you. Interesting thoughts on entitlement. Thanks for sharing.
Great post, Melissa! Thank you! Good reminder. I also enjoyed the peek into your life as a mom of 4. Good job surviving the doctor…If the worst thing that happened is Eli getting disappointed, I’d call that a huge success! 😀 Love you!
I was so proud of how well Eli did in getting his shots! He didn’t cry or even flinch. He’s getting to be so big. Silas was NOT happy about his shots, but he calmed down as soon as I picked him up. That’s how I ended up with that picture of me holding Ezra & Silas. Ezra was in my Moby wrap and then Silas started screaming after his shots. It was so cute because Ezra was patting Silas’ back to calm him down and Silas fell asleep on Ezra’s chest. I love my kids!!
Great post! I love the Gratitude Community’s reminder to be grateful by focusing on our gifts. Your post on entitlement is another great reminder that God gives us everything we truly need. Happy iFellowship Wednesday!
It’s a reminder I think I need daily. God really does provide all we need and yet it’s so easy to begin to feel that we need more. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
I’m here from iFellowship… I know.. a day late – but so glad I kept going with the list on Thursday!
This touched my heart and I will think on it the rest of the day!
If you have time, come see me too over at Living Above – I wrote today about something similar – being glad and happy just where God has you!
Have a great Thursday!
Pen
There’s so many great sites to check out, it definitely takes more than one day. 🙂 I’m glad you stuck with it. Heading over to your site now.