If I were to lay out the happenings of my day in chronological order, illustrating the ways in which God met me face to face this post would be pages. Unfortunately, the one situation that is riddled with mystery is too personal to others dear to me to tell, but I so wish I could because it is an ‘issue’ that is plaguing my every day. I DON’T want to be near it but part of the ‘mystery’ is how God continues to have me right in the middle despite my effort to lay low, hide and run away. These things that keep me in this issue are just BEYOND coincidental.
Ugh so, all I can ask for is to pray for me that if God insists I am involved then my family is protected and an AMAZING GOOD comes out of it.
The lesson I can share today was not necessarily mine but my boys, though it taught me a lot about parenting. (or where I might lack in the skill?) My boys and a friend of their’s have been putting each other down with their words. They’ve been doing it as a ‘joke’, kidding around, etc and I’ve been getting on to them about it. I know that one derogatory statement can mame a spirit for life. I had given them a lecture about building one another up and not putting each other down, especially since they are all so close to one another. They will have plenty of strangers and enemies try to cut them short with nasty words they don’t need to add to the mix. My lecture went no where. Today when I picked them up from school I had two teachers surround my car and all the boys had long faces. They scrambled into my car and the teachers were saying things like, “It was bad.” “I’m sorry you have to deal with this.” “This won’t be fun for you.” By the time I finally rolled up my window and got the heck out of the car line my car was filled with wails of despair and shouts of accusation.
I drove about two miles to clear myself of any residual school traffic and pulled the car over. Thankfully, something inside kept me from saying what I WANTED to say, instead some unseen force kept me calm. After giving both kids the time to tell their sides I found out my son had kicked his friend! That was the climax to the story…it all began because they were putting one another down, pointing out each others faults. By now they were both on the verge of hysterical tears. You could see that neither meant to hurt the other. I pointed out for them to see how they made the other feel and asked if they like that. Of course they both cried “No!” Then they told each other how sorry they were. Before I would drive home I had to make sure the crew were friends again, laughing and giving me something POSITIVE that happened to them in the day.
Whew. Just retelling it makes me exhausted. But what a lesson that is. It is not surprising that words are so powerful when Christ began as the WORD. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God. John 1:1 I know this lesson will cause me to rethink my words as I deal with those around me, especially when I’m agitated.
One last request. Please pray for a man named Alex who lives in Haiti. He is a Haitian who worked with Connie and HhelpingH to put on missions. He was to be our host and have us stay in his house in May. He lost his daughter when the school collapsed and many children are still alive and buried. They can’t seem to get them out. It is a sad sad situation so please pray for them. www.hhelpingh.org
God Bless
Shannon