(Melanie in her pj's and sporting her mom's karate gear.)

I haven't been around babies and toddlers on a nearly everyday basis since my own children were that young, so I'm getting old/new/recycled insights every week. I hope you don't mind that I share them with you.

Last week our daughter-in-love Ashley took Melanie (2 1/2) and Ryan (14 months) to the bank. They were all still in their pj's so they went to the drive-through. Directly across the road from the bank stands Walmart - a child's dream.

Melanie: "Mommy, I want to go the the store."

Ashley: "We don't need anything at the store."

Melanie: "But I want to go to the store."

Ashley: "We can't go to the store, Melanie, we're in our jammies."

Melanie: "But I want to go to the store, Mommy."

Ashley: "Melanie, we aren't going to the store."

(Pause) Melanie: "Just the same, Mommy, I want to go to the store!"

Those were her exact words - "Just the same, Mommy...".

The Lord wants us to go to Him with our desires and needs. He wants His desires to become our desires and for His will to become our will. Way too many times I've continued to say, "Just the same, Lord, I want..." after He's made it clear that particular request is not what He desires for me.

Do you relate? I'd love to hear your stories.