Open for 2015 {Week 33}

Last week was what I'll call a Pushback Week.  For several days almost everything I asked the kids to do was met with opposition.  Something was not right and I was not sure I had the stamina - or kindness in my heart - to outlast it.  I'm typing here today, so you know I did, but in the midst of it I was not confident!

Knowing that I was reaching my breaking point, (meaning I wanted to scream and yell a lot, give my children life-long consequences, and tell them they could never come out of their rooms, ever), it occurred to me that perhaps it was time to consider being OPEN.  I could not change my kids' hearts,  but what did God want to happen in me?  How could I use these trying days to take a deep breath and trust the Lord to use them to increase the fruit of His Spirit in me?

I wish I could say that, after those holy thoughts, I kept my cool every moment and gently guided each one child his or her moments of frustration, willful disobedience, and anger.  I cannot.  But I can say, Praise be to God who uses being a parent to remind me how He loves me when I am ungrateful and discontent, unlovable and disagreeable.

• Being OPEN when I am getting pushback from my children means remembering my own scarlet sin, and that my Savior has washed me white as snow.

• Being OPEN also means trusting in the Lord and loving Him so much that I press on in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, despite my strong desire to throttle the little blessings He's given me!

Like I said, it was not a stellar week for me either; I am weak and a work in progress, just like my children.  But when one is interrupted by grace in the middle of a Pushback Week, the best she can be is thankful.  Who is this God we serve who is so slow to anger and abounding in love?  Our Redeemer--the LORD Almighty is his name-- is the Holy One of Israel.

Have a good weekend with Him!
Heather

PS Most of the time, I think my kids are the coolest creatures in the world.

Here we are pretending we're on a wild magic carpet ride!