"But I Don't Want A New Yo-yo!"

Earlier today Tyson was playing with a yo-yo. He doesn't really know how to yo-yo so he was mostly just swinging the yo-yo around the room. Somehow it slipped from his hand, flew across the room, and then busted on the floor. Tyson immediately starting sobbing. He was broken-hearted because his yo-yo was broken. 

This was one of the 12 yo-yos I bought to use as party favors for Evan's birthday party we had last weekend. Many of the kids forgot to take their goodie bags so we ended up with at least 7 yo-yos. As soon as I heard Tyson crying over his yo-yo I offered to give him a new one. He absolutely would not have it! He was sobbing and said, "But I don't want a new yo-yo! I want my old yo-yo!"

It seemed so absurd to me. Why wouldn't he just take a new one? It's so simple. I was offering a yo-you that wasn't broken; one that was brand new. One that was better. Why didn't he want it? Why was he clinging to an old broken yo-yo?

I quickly felt God give me a nudge and then thought entered my mind, "How often do I do the exact same thing?"

Even now there is a situation in my life where things aren't going the way I had hoped. Its no one's fault and no one did anything wrong but I wish some things were different. Instead of reaching out to God and asking Him to give me a new perspective or to provide a new solution, I've been holding onto to what was. Even though it isn't working properly. Why don't I just give it up and let God give me something new? He has a stock-pile of blessings that He is just waiting for me to receive.

Tyson did eventually accept a new yo-yo and he went merrily about his day. Oh, there are so many lessons I've learned through my children. This is one of them. When given the chance, I want to accept the new things God has for me and go merrily about my day, focusing on the beauty of what is new instead of what I lost.

 Today I'm thankful that God is always offering me something new and better. I don't have to clench my fists around something broken. I don't have to pitch a fit over something that isn't going the way I planned. God has better. I can trust that His new plan is better than my broken one.