On My Mind Today
I was surrounded by young kids (all mine, of course) a couple days ago. They were climbing on me, crowding me, asking me repeated questions, with one request piling on another before I had a chance to respond even to the first one.
This wasn’t how I imagined parenting to be. Some days I’m a walking sermon on child spacing.
In the middle of this, my husband called. He was sitting in a call room at the hospital, all by himself, lost in an idyllic world of plans for a self-sustaining farming operation. (More on that in a future post… maybe.) We were going at two completely different paces.
So I snapped. I snapped at him for not answering my questions faster, and I snapped at the kids for continuing to beg me for things while I was on the phone.
This isn’t how things should be! My response has been nagging at me ever since.
This morning, I woke up with these thoughts rolling around in my head:
Do everything without complaining or arguing. Philippians 2:14
Take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. James 3:4-6
The tongue has the power of life and death. Proverbs 18:21
Life and death?!!!!
A sharp tongue is the only edged tool that grows keener with constant use.
Washington Irving
This quote, at least, makes me chuckle:
He missed an invaluable opportunity to hold his tongue.
Andrew Lang
I had a lot of other things on my mind when I snapped at my family. I wasn’t even upset with them, really, but they didn’t know that.
I hope today is a gentler day.
And I’m wondering: Would it be too schoolteacher-ish if I asked my own kids to raise their hands before they talk to me from now on?
Probably I won’t, but that idea was also rolling around in my mind this morning.
Thanks so much for sharing this blog, Debbie….it was an encouragement to me. I’m losing it almost every day with my kids AND husband these days :o( and find myself on my knees asking them and my Father forgiveness….not exactly the kind of daily routine I want to stay in….but good reminder of how desperately I need Grace. Love you, Krista
It’s so hard when there are huge things weighing on us. And having your entire country in turmoil around you has to add just a little bit to the stress levels there! The “life and death” verse was what got me. I want my words to give life to my family, but that’s not always what happens.