Three year old maturity

I’ve always been fascinated by this concept of “spiritual maturity”. ⁣⁣

And now that I live day-in and day-out with a three year old, I get a clearer and clearer picture of it every day!⁣⁣

Here are a few interesting observations I’ve noticed in my daughter recently.⁣⁣

(And for what it’s worth, my daughter is actually very mature, kind, and brilliant for her age for the most part! I don’t want this to seem like I’m ragging on her– it’s all in good fun, and for an important point!)⁣⁣

When I tell her she can’t dunk her battery-operated toys in the water table outside, she gets frustrated that I am taking away her fun. ⁣⁣

When we encourage keeping the Sabbath Day holy, she focuses on everything that she can’t do on Sundays.⁣⁣

She gets really upset when someone else isn’t following the rules.⁣⁣

When she is really really tired or hungry, she loses any little amount of maturity she had left in her and anything could set her off.⁣⁣

She changes her mind on what she wants to eat for lunch after I have already made it. ⁣⁣

She doesn’t always say please or thank you, and she ultimately has no idea what sacrifices I make out of love in order to make her life fairly enjoyable, fun, and safe. And that’s okay. As a parent, I don’t expect her to see or recognize it all. ⁣⁣

Okay… did you notice any parallels to your own spiritual understanding?

⁣⁣How many times I’ve thought Heavenly Father was giving me rules that were keeping me away from having more fun–⁣⁣

That the Sabbath is more of a burden than a blessing–⁣⁣

That I have to be concerned and worried about everyone else’s decisions–

⁣⁣That I can ignore healthy food and sleep habits and still function well (HINT: I absolutely can not!)–⁣⁣

That I receive a blessing, just to think that I wanted a different opportunity more–

⁣⁣That I forget to pray and thank my Heavenly Father, even though I only see a sliver of what He does for me–⁣⁣

Spiritual maturity is essential to develop. ⁣⁣

In D&C 109:15, the Kirtland saints prayed: “that they may grow up in thee”.

⁣⁣Are we growing up? Are we maturing? Are we handling emotions and understanding the importance of boundaries and taking time to see the bigger picture?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black