There’s a thing about potty training: it’s immediate. It’s RIGHT NOW. There is no arguing with a small child who has to go.

Sometimes, I need this kind of reminder in my life. Sometimes, I need to be reminded that God is immediate. He’s RIGHT NOW. He will listen to my arguing, but He won’t go away.

As I’ve stopped myself (and watched the helpful adults who have been with me the last few weeks stop themselves) in the middle of, well, everything the minute “I peeing” comes out of her little mouth, I’ve noticed a few things.

For one thing, the things I’m doing are easily interruptible, despite what I may think (burned grilled cheese notwithstanding). For another, when potty training is in progress, other things just can’t be (never mind that I’ve ignored this).

There’s a prioritizing that happens when there’s something like potty training is happening in family life. It reminds me, in a way, of the way our family all came together after the death of my brother-in-law.

However much I may be moaning about the sitting and entertaining and reading I’ll continue to do in the next few weeks within the confines of a bathroom, however much I may flinch every time a pair of underpants hit a public bathroom floor, however much I may growl about inconvenience…

Well, maybe this is just what I need. You know?

Sometimes, I need an attention-getter, and right now, potty training is it.

Novenas and big-time prayers aside, maybe I just needed to pay attention to some of the little details…like when it’s time to pee.

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