What comes first?

Annie brings home from school a set of books each night that she's supposed to read aloud.  I end up gleaning some grander life lesson beyond the simple repetitive sentences, probably my brain's way of making it worth my while.  I can only handle so much of, "We play games at the beach.  We eat lunch at the beach.  We take naps at the beach.  We swim at the beach," before my mind starts to wander.  

Don't get me wrong, listening to her read does my heart good, but at the same time, SO MUCH of learning comes by way of repetition.  It's a necessary evil.  And sometimes, repetition forces us to face truths.  Like in Annie's latest book, What Comes First?

"First come the seeds.  Then come the flowers.

First come the tadpoles.  Then come the frogs."

I realized that I waste so much emotional energy fighting against the reality that in order for something to happen that's desirable to me, I have to ACT first.  Wishing it to be doesn't make it so.  And boy, am I a good wisher.  Self-deception can only take you so far, believe me, I'm good at it.

I have to plant the seed before I can enjoy the flowers.  I can't have a hard-body (heh) without consistently exercising.  I can't feel good in the morning if Ben and I stay up late watching episodes of 24 until midnight...on a school night.  I can't write a book if I don't sit down each day and write.  I can't become a woman of deep faith if I don't make time to consistently read and study things of the Spirit.  I can't be the mom I want to be if I don't practice keeping my emotions in check, learning to respond with love the FIRST TIME, and understanding that their poor choices are not to be taken personally, they're just poor choices.

The list goes on.  And in my case, on and on and on.

I am the maker of who I become.  I may have potential to be something great (relatively speaking, MY great is different from YOUR great), but unless I'm willing to ACT, to CHOOSE to become that, it'll never happen.  God will not take my hand and force me to find my greatness.  But if I'm willing to work, He's got a few things up His sleeve.

I'm a little wiser now, thanks to a kindergartner's book.  Crazy how that happens.