Where I'm At. . .parenting

I must admit, this week hasn't been the easiest in the parenting realm. Each of my 3 have presented their own issues this week. I know this is nothing for my big-family friends for whom just having 3 around would feel like a piece of cake! In fact, I thought maybe I'd start pretending that I have 5 and 2 are just busy at any given time so that 3 feels easier! PS: that doesn't really work, but it does make me laugh and remember perspective a bit!

Gracie is entering the 2 year old phase. You know. . the one where you have to discipline 100 times a day for little things like touching the dog dish and banging her fork on the table. Not hard, unless you have 2 other kids running around!

Davis is still attaching. At least, I think that's his deal. He wants to have some part of his body touching some part of mine at all times. He'll even lay his face on my feet! This is so cute when you think of how he didn't like me at first and he's falling in love with his mama. However, I don't always think of it that way and sometimes. . . .like when I'm desparately trying to sleep. . .it's not so cute!

Brayden is 3 1/2. . .need I say more? Right now we are working on obedience the first time, without challenge, delay or excuse (thanks to Tedd Tripp!) His stuff is just defiance and attitude related.

Combined, some days are driving me crazy! Yesterday, I called both Katy and Erin almost in tears. While the AT&T guy was here (a whole other story about trying to stay in my home with 3 kids for 14 hours waiting on them. . .why can't they make actual appts? If surgeons can, why can't repair men?) Davis and Brayden refused to take their naps. They instead destroyed their room and came out 100 times. I was tired and did not make the right choice, I let it slide. Finally, after asking them multiple times to at least stay in their rooms, I went in to discover them JUST ABOUT to get into Davis' cocoa butter lotion (which, if you don't have African kids, is not like regular lotion. . more like greasy gunk). I quickly put a stop to that and went to answer the AT&T guy again. Well, when I went back into their room 5 minutes later, they had opened the lotion again and were COVERED! I mean, I could barely pick Davis up he was like a greased pig! AND, we were to leave for dinner in 10 minutes to meet my parents! Aaagh!!!

I was so angry. I find I lose my cool and then flip out on the inside. I start thinking, "I can't handle this! I need a break" Kind of a hyperventilation of the spirit! I even had a hard time when one of the kids reached for my hand at the restaurant. I was still mad. Immediately, the Lord convicted me. I was amazed. How can the Lord not withhold His love from me when I am so ugly? And yet, He doesn't! He disciplines, for sure. But is able to immediately offer His heart to me.

I HAVE SO MUCH TO LEARN!!!!!!!!!

Thankfully, I serve a faithful and gracious God! This morning, Erin emailed me this verse:
"In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction." 2 Timothy 4: 1-2

That was the culmination of 2 things. First, Shepherding a Child's Heart. The best book on parenting I've ever read. God was using his words last night to convict my heart about being consistent in my discipline. The kids' offenses are about disobedience to God first. Who am I to decide to let them go? I need to be consistent for their hearts' sake!

Secondly, I recently read on a blog (which I can't give credit to b/c my laptop is broken so I'm using my bedroom computer. aagh!) a woman's prayer for her kids. She said that when she would take stock of her kids and what they needed to learn or even areas they needed to grow, it was overwhelming. She decided to ask the Lord for direction more specifically. So, she prayed, "Lord, reveal to me what __________ needs to learn or focus on right now?" This could be a character trait, a skill or even a gift that needs encouraging. Then, she would focus and look for ways to work on that specific thing with that child for a few days or until the Lord released her.

Ok, back to the verse. I am going to memorize this one for parenting! YES, I need to work on consistency in correction for disobedience. I also need to temper that with encouragement. Then, I need to use "careful instruction". This has helped me today to be more focused. When I'm looking for ways to encourage and correct a specific area, I feel more free. Not to let them run wild in others, but to focus my efforts. That and I realized anew that I need the Lord's constant help!

Hey, thanks for listening! Sometimes, I need to write out these lessons to cement them more in my brain! I'm also ready to journal a "where I'm at. . .marriage" and "where I'm at. . .Africa" and "where I'm at. . .work/ministry"! I think it's important to be always learning and then, for me at least, sharing that so I stay accountable! God's definitely teaching me in lots of different areas!! help! j/k it's great. I want to be more like Jesus next year. . .to be unrecognizable from who I am now!