Well, a nother busy Monday is about over. Lots of laundry done, a science experiment, a chapter in history about the Louisiana Purchase (remember that?), a lesson about Zebras and phonics work for Jeremiah, several discipline sessions with several children, enchaladas made and homemade corn muffins for dinner and a fussy little Boo with a really bad cold lugged around whenever he was awake, and the thought of "should I take him to the pediatrician? running thru my head all day.
I started off this morning badly. I woke up late, which is reasonable since Elijah was up for a bit in the wee hours, but I just rolled over and closed my eyes when the alarm rang. So at seven I was sitting at the kitchen table after my shower, staring at the coffee and thinking, "I don't want to do this today" Joel encouraged me to just have a time of prayer instead of worrying about Bible reading (the kids are awake at seven-that's why I try to get up alot earlier). Joel left and I ignored the fussing from the baby and prayed and read Psalm 13-17. I felt that God really met me here this morning and changed my attitude. I was able to go upstairs and begin the busy day ahead of me, with out the feeling of unbelief that I had upon awakening.
I am still working on having less anger with the kids. This will be the sin that I struggle with all my life I think. I became angry and yelled at one of the kids who was incessantly teasing the others and not listening to my more gentle instruction, so I went in and yelled. He seemed really upset, so I was able to apologize and ask for his forgiveness, and you know what, yelling doesn't work-ever. He started it right back up as soon as I left the room again, this time I sent him to my bedroom to await true discipline and instruction and prayer. And he was much better all morning.
I read this morning and copied into my journal these two verses:
Psalm 13:5-6 "But I trust in your unfailing love, my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for He has been good to me"
Psalm 15:5-6 "Lord, you have assigned my portion and my cup. You have made my lot secure. For me, the boundary lines have fallen in pleasant places. Surely I have a delightful inheritance"
God is so good to me, this is what my soul needed this morning and he fed me. I actually did sing (not something anyone want to hear :) ) after I prayed. Now to keep these truths in the front of my head when I am tempted to grumble or become angry or impatient or feel pity for myself. He has been good to me!
Denae-the recipe for babywipes is in the recipe box on the side bar
3 comments:
It's so tempting to just yell at our kids to get their attention, or as a quick fix to their disobeying. Lew and I are really trying to go to Kayiah get on her eye level and correct her,when she is doing something she shouldn't. Telling her as a warning if the behavior happens again there will be discipline. This usually works a lot better then yelling I said no. ANd for the most part she heeds her warning. When I stop myself from yelling it gives me time to deal with my own anger before I try to correct her.
Danielle thanks for sharing this - it is so evident that you honored the Lord with your desire in you heart to work for him yesterday! - it sounds like your morning devotions really served you well as you cared for the kids the rest of the day. Isn't God so kind to meet us where we are and give us strengthening truths to live by? Our God is good! Our boundary lines HAVE indeed fallen in pleasant places!!! :)
Hi. Just reading this now~ I want to thank you, too, for sharing your experiences with this. Parenting can be very frustrating at times, no matter what kids you have. I am sure that the singing you did God was Very Pleased to hear ;)
Your brother shared that same scripture with me when I was going through a difficult season and I remember digesting it, and thinking, wow so maybe I really can handle this stuff.
I had such a fear in my heart that I was not up to the particular job that I have to do. At least, not able to parent to please the Lord. But meditating on that scripture, saying the boundaries have fallen in good places... you have placed them there... to myself helped me feel my ability by God's grace to not be a 'statistic parent'.
Today, I still struggle at times, but following the principals in sheparding a child's heart and age of opportunity ( and many other great books on our book table) has been easier than I ever thought it would be, and sooo much more effective than behavior modification and all of the discipline methods I'd learned through the schools. ( Of course, it's getting to the heart of the issue!) I am so grateful to have learned how to discipline God's way, I can't even express it in words! Sometimes I still slip up and raise my voice, but thanks to all the good teaching we have recieved one of my children will look at me with a very shocked face and remind me that man's anger never accomplishes God's purposes if I do any of that harsh stuff :) and also by God's grace I was able to recieve that help from my children with a grateful heart :) I , also, have experienced so many times a precious word picked just for me that day~ my boundary lines have difinately fallen in pleasant places!
PS- Not that this is related in any way to your post:), but I was just thinking today about how I could be bundling up all the kids
and shlupping them to day
care(s),rushing the best I could against the weather and traffic to get to work on time, then having to endure missing them all day,wondering if the day care workers are taking care of them as well as I would,then fighting traffic again to pick them all up and rush them home tired and cranky to get some kind of meal on the table and finally taking the pumps off that are killing my feet, heavy hearted and wishing that I didn't have to leave my children all day, like so many of us mothers have to. I am so Thankful to God and my husband that I do not have to this, and remembering that life is really, really good for me ;)
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