For starters, I decided to rearrange my family room. Which turned out awesome! But set our whole schedule off by an hour this morning. Why this was a big deal I don't know, because like I said, we didn't have anywhere to go. But the kids were underfoot while I was moving things around, and that got things off to a tense start, and things just went downhill from there.
I know the Lord is doing great things in me. And I also know He is allowing me to be tested. Some days I do better than others. Today I was fully conscious of my failings, and just kept trying to turn my attitude around, to refocus myself on why I'm doing what I'm doing, why I'm living the way I'm living. What is important.
And then this evening, my husband arrived home with the older boys from cubs and beavers, and my third son was crushed because he couldn't have a snack before bed. Dad had told the boys to get their pjs on straight away if they wanted a snack, and while the other two did Stephen found a book and started reading. I took him down to bed and he sobbed and sobbed, and said, "but Mom, the book distracted me!" I calmly told him that no, the book did not distract him - that he let himself be distracted by the book, and that when that happens he needs to remember that he is the one who's in charge. That the book is not the boss of him, that he makes his own choices. And that he always needs to keep in mind what are the things he wants, and not do anything that is going to take him away from what he knows is good.
Isn't it funny how the Lord uses our kids to teach us the way we should be? I could have given myself the exact same talk. But maybe the Lord knew I wouldn't listen, since I hadn't all day. And maybe instead He allowed me to be united with my son in feeling the loss of a poor decision, so that we could both approach our distractions with renewed determination the next time around.
Praise God for the wisdom of family life, that teaches what no words could adequately convey.
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