I'd rather fight you for something I don't really want...

Rich Mullins was a singer/poet/philosopher of our day. He was kind of a rebel (part of which led to his early death) but wrote a lot of profound songs. One of his songs has a line in it that summarizes human nature. He writes speaking to God, "I'd rather fight you for something I don't really want, than to take what you give and I need." I found this to be true so many times in my life...mostly in situations that I would rather not lay out for public ridicule...but I have a cute story that gives some validation to his statement. Elijah is going through a rough time. The terrible 2's were simply a prologue to this time in his life. Right now, the major "daily" battles are potty training and eating...some child psychologists say that this is an attempt for a child to control his own life. In eating, usually before I finish cooking dinner he is crying in the kitchen telling me he doesn't like it and he won't eat it. But one afternoon I was baking, as I really love to do (and it shows!), I had the crisco, a very prized posession here, on the counter for me to use it. Elijah came into see what I was doing. I told him I was baking, and he immediately started in saying that he wanted some. I replied that it was not yet finished. He proceeded to demand that I give him some crisco. He insisted that he "liked it." He proceeded to scream and throw himself on the floor (something we are working hard to deal with). So finally after quite some ruckus, I caved. I scraped some up on my finger and shoved it in his mouth. Now I say I caved, but really, I hardly feel like I was giving him what he "really" wanted. Anyone who has ever tasted crisco can imagine that he immediately said he did not like it. Surprisingly just a few days later, I was making popcorn (the old fashioned way). I had the oil out, and the same scene started to commence. This time I learned a little quicker. I told him he didn't like it, and as soon as he began to fuss with me I poured some in his mouth. (I had clean that one up!) But just like the quote, Elijah fights me over every meal saying he won't like it and then insists on things I know he won't like. Tonight though, we had a major break through. He ate his dinner, Mexican chicken stew, a meal he repeated has turned his nose up at. I suppose I should thank the kindergarten. Since he only eats rice there (I suppose they give him candy, too), he's pretty hungry for dinner. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed these stories from our sweet boy--oh, wait sorry, he's the King of the Wild Things. He's really a great little boy coming into his own personality!