Porcelain Throne Oppression

Hi Darlings,

Today's post will be short and sweet. Tomorrow I am bringing the fire, so please DO NOT miss out.

Today, I 'll be sharing a short story with you and then I will let you go on conquering your day.

The past few weeks I've been given the honor of potty training a stubborn 3 year old. It has been a living nightmare. 

First off, he won't go to the potty without being able to play a game on the iPhone. Second, he will spend all of his time playing a game and no time actually pooping or peeing. Third, when I talk about pooping or peeing, he starts yelling like a maniac. Fourth, I lose, he wins and then he's off the potty, peeing/pooping in his pull-up five minutes later. It really is quite the experience. 

Of course, I don't have much patience for things like this. But as we know, God gives us what we ask for, and OF COURSE I had the nerve to ask Him for patience. 

We have literally done everything we possibly can to convince this sweet toddler to use the dang potty. We've used reward charts, iPhones, lightsabers, and even Legos. We have tried it all! Not one thing has worked.

So all day yesterday, we found ourselves battling the porcelain throne once again. We went through a vicious cycle of getting on the potty, not actually using it, getting off the potty, and then pooping in our pullup five minutes later.  It was exhausting!

During our final attempt to overcome the oppression of potty training, the most heart touching thing happened. 

NO! He didn't poop or pee if that's what you're thinking.  

I was sitting on the floor of the washroom, trying to entertain this sweet angel as he is screaming his head off, and I begin to get overwhelmed with frustration. So overwhelmed that I had to turn away and try not to cry. 

Childless women are thinking I'm crazy right now but you mama bears feel my pain.

Suddenly, the little angel gets off of his porcelain throne and walks over to me, naked and all, hugs me and says "Jessica, I love you."

I swear, it was the sweetest, most loving, most encouraging moment ever. All of my feelings of frustration, anger, despair, irritation and rage just vanished away. It was then that I remembered God's sweet words, "Love covers a multitude of sins."

I wish I could live that moment over and over again. It was powerful because earlier that afternoon I was reading the book of Corinthians about love (the same verse I shared with you ladies yesterday) and I understood what it meant, but I wondered what it actually felt and looked like. And there I was, hours later, actually experiencing the literal meaning of 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.

Love has the power to change things. Love has the power to change people. Love has the power to change YOU!

So my assignment for all of us today is to study the scripture below and then act on it.


1 Corinthians 13:4-8

New Life Version (NLV)

⁴ Love does not give up. Love is kind. Love is not jealous. Love does not put itself up as being important. Love has no pride. ⁵ Love does not do the wrong thing. Love never thinks of itself. Love does not get angry. Love does not remember the suffering that comes from being hurt by someone. ⁶ Love is not happy with sin. Love is happy with the truth. ⁷ Love takes everything that comes without giving up. Love believes all things. Love hopes for all things. Love keeps on in all things.

Go out and conquer the world, Love. Show them the love you're working with!



Jessica Torres

Founder of Beauty of Encouragement