It was the other day that I decided to do an “edit” of my jewelry collection. I do these “edits” every year with my clothes, jewelry and anything else I have a large amount of. Well, it just so happens that I had been talking to my hubby about how my jewelry tastes have changed since years ago. I used to love big statement necklaces in all different colors, shapes and sizes. But collectively they were all huge, colorful costume jewelry that I wore for years with no shame.
Cut to present day and I’m just not into it. I’ve graduated college, I’ve been a wife for five years, I’m a mom for goodness sake. I’m an adult! So I should look like one. (Not saying adults can’t wear big costume jewelry. Do you girl, this is just my changing preference.) Well, I decided that I wanted to wear dainty things. You know those single pendent necklaces with the skinny delicate chain. So simple and classic, and then layering them… so cute right? Well I forged ahead and made piles of what I wanted to keep and what to give to GoodWill.
As I’m going through all this jewelry I start to think to myself, “I’m going to have to buy some pendant necklaces. There’s nothing here I want to keep. I’m getting rid of everything!” Well an hour later I come across an old jewelry box from like high school days. I open it and there are about ten, yes ten, skinny little chain necklaces. Some with pendants, some alone. Extra pendants are scattered around that I haven’t seen in years and forgot I had. I was overjoyed, like cheesing happy.
Well me and my joyful self decide I’m going to layer these suckers up and be cute and trendy like all the Instagram 20-somethings I see on a daily basis. In my mind, I’m a 20-something too so I should be able to pull this off. I put them on, three of them, all different lengths. I’m layered up feeling good, looking cute. And then… I pick up my 8 month old. He thinks mommy’s necklaces are pretty too.
At first he just stares at them. All delicate and shiny. Then, he decides he just needs to put one finger on them. Just to see how they feel. I say, “be careful sweetie, those are fragile.” Yeah, duh they’re fragile! But anyway, as you can imagine, one finger turns to three, three becomes ten. Before I know it he’s hanging on to all three of them like they’re going to provide support for his 24-lb chunk of a self to stand up on my lap. Before I can even see what’s happening all I hear is “plop, tink, tink.” I look down and two chains are just lifelessly hanging around my neck with two pendants on the floor.
I’m not gonna lie, I was upset. I got mad. I even teared up a little bit. I handed my baby to my husband and I walked out the front door and stood outside next to our car forcing myself to take deep breaths and calm down. It was 30 degrees outside, so my anger didn’t last very long. I had to remind myself that he’s a baby. He didn’t know what he did would make mommy upset or break something. He doesn’t know any better.
Then I started to think about all the ways that we disappoint and upset God. He doesn’t yell, He doesn’t strike us down where we stand. He’s loving and forgiving. We screw up on a daily basis, at least I know I do. But I know that my Father is forgiving and always waiting for me to gather myself and repent, then move on from it and do better. The way I see it is, if God was willing to give up His only beloved son for the stupid things I knowingly do on the daily, why should I hold a grudge against someone who upset me and didn’t even know what they were doing?
I chalk it up to get over yourself, it’s just a necklace. Show your baby the same love your heavenly Father shows you and keep it moving. That’s what I did and that’s what I encourage us all to do. Kids will piss you off sometimes. It comes with the territory. But most times, they don’t mean to. Show them the same love and forgiveness our heavenly Father shows us time and again. Everyone is much happier that way.
Baby Disciples 
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