"I DID IT!!!" and "I Want"

The twin boys I nanny for 3-4 days a week are at a remarkable age! They are 21 months and both of them have tremendous vocabularies! I love to hear them say new words almost daily and watch their faces as they make connections with words and objects - and even some letters of the alphabet - thanks to the shows their almost-4-year-old sister likes to watch.

For the past few weeks they've been really blossoming and learning new skills at what seems like lightning speed. One of the oft-repeated exclamations these days is "I DID IT" and yes, it should be in all caps with multiple exclamation points. They get so excited and gain self-confidence with each new task mastered.

Today I notice one of the boys has learned, "I want" followed by either cup, book, more and a host of unintelligible (to me!) expressed wants.

I couldn't help but think that we never really do outgrow those two phrases. Our wants become more grand and usually more expensive or precious when we become adults, but we still often live with an "I want" mentality, don't we?

How often I have felt proud of myself for accomplishing a goal - large or small - as if I, of my own volition, could accomplish anything without God's purpose and plan for it to be accomplished. I'm not saying I'm helpless, powerless and/or without skill or talent 'on my own'. What I'm saying is that I need to remind myself often of the source of my abilities, skills, talents, and yes, my accomplishments.

As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. [Ecclesiastes 11:5 NIV]

All the creative musings of my mind and touching and inspiring words of my hands are wrought from the heart and mind of God. All things I want and all the goals I wish to achieve are best measured in relation to how they will help me accomplish the specific and divine purpose for which I was created.

Examined in that light there is really very little I need on this earth outside of the bare essentials to sustain my physical body and an on-going, intentional and ardent desire to be in relationship with my God.

I was reminded of these truths on Saturday night when I attended the Richmond Christians Who Write annual dinner/holiday celebration. So many lovers of the Lord, seeking His truth to share with a broken and sin-filled world! All of us readily admit that we are equally as broken and sin-filled as those to whom we reach out -- but the difference is that we rejoice in the knowledge that our sin has been forgiven and we will be made whole at the end of time when Christ comes again.

I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things have I given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you. [1 Chronicles 29:17]

So, my "I want" is to glorify God with every word I write and every thought I think. My every "I DID IT" will, I pray, be a declaration that I have done the best I could to share the Good News with the world.