Spiritual Sippy Cup

There are so many incredible experiences in being a mother. I have cried in pain, fear, frustration, disappointment, laughter, and absolute joy since my journey in motherhood began (those tears never seem to stop!). I have learned a new kind of love, patience, and fulfillment that I had never known. I have also learned so much more about the nature of God through my experiences with my child. I have been able to gain the smallest glimpse into His relationship to us and love for us as I have experienced specific events as a parent. One of the most impacting and profound experiences I had was a little over a year ago.
My daughter (T) was holding her sippy cup of water; she drank the last of it out of the cup. T sucked on the empty sippy a few times before realizing that she wasn't going to get anything more out of it. Her sweet little smile turned into an angry and frustrated frown and huge tears welled up in her eyes as she prepped for a mighty break down. My little angel mourned her empty sippy cup like she had lost a dear friend. My heart was filled with both a gentle amusement and a deep compassion for her; she was so desperately distraught, but didn't realize how simple the solution was. I reached out for her cup so that I could fill it up again. To my surprise, T refused to relinquish her hold on the sacred sippy. I tried reasoning with my then 18-month-old. I told her that mommy would fill her sippy with more water. I promised to give it back when I filled it. I even tried to gently pull it from her grip. She would not let it go. She cried so sorrowfully over her empty sippy, but still would not let me fill it up again. Eventually, she calmed down and, together, we filled her cup with water and all was right with the world again.
That night, as I was praying and expressing love for my beautiful daughter, I was taught so completely and profoundly. I realized the parallel between my relationship to T and Heavenly Father's relationship to me. How many times had I cried to Him about my empty sippy cup. How many times had I mourned and begged and pleaded for Him to fill my sippy back up, but refused to let Him? I felt overwhelmed and humbled at the awesome simplicity of the lesson I was being taught. I wondered how often God had looked upon me with the same gentle amusement and deep compassion for me; knowing how desperately distraught I was, but also having the infinite wisdom to know how simple the solution was. Just as I had been with T, He is so willing and ready to fill my sippy cup back up. He won't jerk it from my hands and make me let Him. Neither will He give up on me and only offer to refill me within a certain time frame. When I am ready to trust that He knows more than me, understands more than me, loves perfectly, then I can hand over my sippy cup and allow Him to fill it.
I think that night I apologized multiple times to my Father in Heaven for being so slow to trust, for crying so long, for refusing to hear His gentle directions and accept the blessings He waited to pour upon me.
How grateful I am for a God who is perfect, who never tires of my cries, who is never short on compassion. How very grateful I am for a God who takes the opportunity to teach me through my child. And how infinitely grateful I am for a God who gave me that child.