Joy in Obedience

Yesterday Drew and I battled it out.  He was set on not signing "more" or "please" for his food and I was determined to make him do it and to stop whining.  He has known how to sign "more" for a while now but has given into pointing and grunting and we have let it go for a while.  Well yesterday was the day it needed to end.  So we sat at the breakfast table for about 30 minutes encouraging him to sign "more" and he would not do it.  I got him out of his chair and let him play hoping he would do it if he got even hungrier so about an hour and a half later he was back in the chair.  Finally after another 30 minutes or so of working with him he did it and now he has been doing it at every meal!  This was a trying lesson to teach him but we knew we had to break this pattern for him to learn how to ask and not demand and also to break his stubborn heart.  The amazing thing about this is I saw a picture of what true joy in obedience looks like.  When Drew was choosing to disobey there was so much sadness and crying.  I really thought he might fall asleep in his chair because he looked so exhausted from all his crying for his food.  When he decided to obey and sign "more" there was much rejoicing and happiness.  He couldn't stop smiling every time he signed it.  This reminded me that there is great joy in obeying God and some times I forget that.  Like Psalm 119:1 says, "How blessed (happy/joyful) are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord."