The "Key" To Potty Training

We have made no secret of the struggle to potty train Ephraim. We continue to pray for God's wisdom and patience in handling this seemingly impossible task. I keep thinking about the Bible verse: "Ah, Sovereign LORD, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for You". Jeremiah 32:17. I am claiming that promise with regard to Ephraim's potty training.

This morning Ephraim found an old skeleton key that belonged to my grandmother Catherine Coers (of the pinkie prayer tradition). He had a lot of questions about it. I tried to answer them all. He has been enamoured by the key and the stories of my Grandmother. I decided to use the key to my advantage. Ephraim's greatest potty trial is pooping in the potty. So, I took him to the potty and let him take the key with him. He peed with no problem, but he said "I don't need to poop" which is his usual M.O. I encouraged him to do it every way I knew how but the thing that finally worked was to tell him "he could keep the key if he pooped" and he insisted on some privacy. I left the room and sure enough he called me back a few moments later to see his results. He said "sometimes it hurts to poop". I scooped him up and said "yes, sometimes it does." He needed encouragement, he needed reassurance that yes, sometimes it hurts, but it is necessary.

At first glance the skeleton key seems like the "key" to potty training with Ephraim, but I am certain the key is going to be our complete trust in God's perfect timing and His gift of patience and wisdom.