"Go pick your shoes and socks up off the floor."
"You forgot to use your manner words?!"
"I did, you're right. Go pick your shoes and socks up off the floor, please."
Then there's the moment when you drop a glass cup on the tile floor, sending shards of glass and streams of water e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e...
"*&^%!," exclaimed ever so softly, with a firm hope nobody caught that outburst of frustration...
"Neanea! Remember to only use nice words, even when you're made or sad."
Fifteen more explicative words roll across my mind as I reconsider a less stringent "nice word" policy and simultaneously confess, "You're right. I should try really hard to use nice words, even when I'm upset. I'm sorry I said that."
Least I forget those nights when I'm worn out from cooking a healthy meal and juggling life and I'd desperately like to substitute my own protein and vegetables for a cup of coffee and a tablespoon of peanut butter...
"Ummm, remember Neanea, if you don't eat a good dinner, you won't grow to be big and healthy and strong and I want you to be healthy with me forever!"
"You're right, let's eat together," I say as I roll my eyes with resignation and wonder how kids can possibly be so *&^% observant. There went the "nice word" policy for the tenth time today.
Being an appropriate role model and trying to instill values in children is so much easier said than done. I really wish I could live by the, "Do as I say, not as I do" conviction, but I'm afraid it doesn't cut the mustard... at least not with the kids I'm blessed to be around. I'm convinced kiddos either make you better, or they make you bitter, and I want to be classified with the later group.
Friday night, I had a seven year old with an upset tummy. He was in tears, and I tried every desperate trick in the book to relieve his pain. It finally occurred to me that we should pray. Now, don't imagine me with a gold crown yet, because I have to be painfully honest... I wasn't exactly praying because I had the faith to move mountains in that moment, but because I've taught him that we can and should talk to God about everything. The "everything" on Friday night happened to be an offer of prayer for his tummy troubles, because that was the "right" thing to do.
We prayed and continued our snuggles, and it wasn't five minutes later that the crying subsided and little man pipes up, "Well! It looks like our prayers worked. My tummy feels better. I think I can go to bed now." Just like that, very matter-of-fact, as if I should have expected any other result, the seven year old recognized the God of his moment, and I recognized the shortcomings of mine.
Kids are convicting creatures.
I don't know what it is that keeps kids so genuine, so tender-hearted, and so true, but it inspires me. Obviously, it inspired Jesus, too:
At that time, the disciples came to Jesus and said, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. "Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 18: 1-4
I need that, you know? I need that child-like, humble faith that believes God for the mountains and the mole hills; the impossible and the insignificant; the Friday nights and the Sunday mornings.
The past four weeks I've seen trials and tribulations in my life and the lives of those around me. Collectively, we've tasted death and sickness and addiction and brokenness. We've walked lonely and seemingly devastating paths. We've cried out to God for answers, and we've pleaded with God for mercy. Friday night was a reminder that He sees all of it- not one minute of one day has escaped Him the last month. He's not surprised or caught off guard or taking the summer off.
We matter to Him. Our families matter to Him. Our hearts matter to Him. And despite all of our shortcomings and frailty, He invites us to His lap. Just like the boy so many years ago, we can sit on His lap, in the arms of our oh-so-good Daddy God. The "becoming" child in me accepts His invitation.
Thank you, God, for those convicting creatures you've filled my life with.
Psalm 34
I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.2 My soul will make its boast in the Lord;
The humble will hear it and rejoice.
3 O magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together.
4 I sought the Lord, and He answered me,
And delivered me from all my fears.
5 They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces will never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
And saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him,
And rescues them.
And delivered me from all my fears.
5 They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces will never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
And saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him,
And rescues them.
8 O taste and see that the Lord is good;
How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
9 O fear the Lord, you His saints;
For to those who fear Him there is no want.
10 The young lions do lack and suffer hunger;
But they who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing.
11 Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 Who is the man who desires life
And loves length of days that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil
And your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Depart from evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it.
How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
9 O fear the Lord, you His saints;
For to those who fear Him there is no want.
10 The young lions do lack and suffer hunger;
But they who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing.
11 Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 Who is the man who desires life
And loves length of days that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil
And your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Depart from evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
And His ears are open to their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against evildoers,
To cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cry, and the Lord hears
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
And saves those who are crushed in spirit.
And His ears are open to their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against evildoers,
To cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cry, and the Lord hears
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
And saves those who are crushed in spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones,
Not one of them is broken.
21 Evil shall slay the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the soul of His servants,
And none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.
But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones,
Not one of them is broken.
21 Evil shall slay the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the soul of His servants,
And none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.
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