This morning I helped my husband and some of the youth run the children’s service during worship. After some wild games and singing, Shane gave a short message about “being a part of the team”. He emphasized that as Christians we all play a big, specific part in the body of Christ. While he was explaining that God has a role for all of us in our church, a friend’s 7 year old leaned over and announced to me very confidently, “He [God] wants me to be the feet, ‘cause I like to kick.” Made sense to me!
Well, if he gets to be the feet because he likes to kick, then I guess I get to be the mouth this week because I apparently like to yell…a lot. I’m just not so sure that Christ’s mouth would be yelling some of the things I’ve yelled lately… It all leads me to wonder: is there such a thing as righteous anger when it comes to your kids? When dealing with teenagers and tweenagers, I’m sure that there is. But what about preschoolers? Can you be righteously indignant with them, or is that just called “aggravation”?
I’ve come to the conclusion that because I’ve always wanted a girl and I’m truly desiring the rapture to happen before my boys get to be teenagers, that God has hastened both experiences for me by wrapping up the heart of a particularly moody preteen girl and sticking her right in the body of my five year old son. Honestly, I’ve never experienced so much drama in my entire life! When did my sweet boy-of-all-boys start caring so much about what shirt he wears that he actually cries over my choices? When did “You hurt my feelings” or “You just broke my little heart” become the most commonly heard phrase in my house? We both wound up in tears this morning before we ever got dressed for church. It’s getting to be ridiculous! And don’t get me started on where little brother fits into it all…he’s a Drama King in training for sure! This morning he told me he needed a hug because his teeth were sick. What in the world?
But one good thing has come out of it all. I’ve come up with an idea for the ultimate addition to any mother’s minivan – one of those plexiglass divider windows they have in limousines. Doesn’t that sound like heaven? Forget MP3 players you can start with a voice command. Keep your heated seats and valet starters. You want to give me something that will absolutely make me buy your vehicle and want to live in it? Put in that divider! And make it one of those power window kinds, too, so that I can roll it down when we’re all happy and loving each other, or at least when they’re asleep. No more listening to fights over toys! No more “Are we there yet”s or “But mom!”s! You could block out the whining with the touch of a button! Ahhh…I’ve been dreaming about it all week. A couple of times I’ve even mentally rolled it up and basked in the imaginary silence.
Anyway, I’m sorry to vent, but that’s what’s on my heart today and I owed you all a post. Thanks for your sympathetic nods and understanding sighs…it’s like I can feel them when you read. And for the one person who’s out there reading this blog thinking I’m the worst mother ever for thinking the things that I do, you’re welcome to borrow my children for a couple of days to try them on for yourself. You can even borrow my van – I’m sure you’ll have that plexiglass installed before you bring it back.
I’m off now to go be His fingers typing up words for the girls in our church and His arms wrapping around those frustrating little blessings I get to call my own. I really do love them, you know. And by His grace I’ll get better at being His heart to them as we grow together. Wish me luck on picking out shirts for preschool this week…
Well, if he gets to be the feet because he likes to kick, then I guess I get to be the mouth this week because I apparently like to yell…a lot. I’m just not so sure that Christ’s mouth would be yelling some of the things I’ve yelled lately… It all leads me to wonder: is there such a thing as righteous anger when it comes to your kids? When dealing with teenagers and tweenagers, I’m sure that there is. But what about preschoolers? Can you be righteously indignant with them, or is that just called “aggravation”?
I’ve come to the conclusion that because I’ve always wanted a girl and I’m truly desiring the rapture to happen before my boys get to be teenagers, that God has hastened both experiences for me by wrapping up the heart of a particularly moody preteen girl and sticking her right in the body of my five year old son. Honestly, I’ve never experienced so much drama in my entire life! When did my sweet boy-of-all-boys start caring so much about what shirt he wears that he actually cries over my choices? When did “You hurt my feelings” or “You just broke my little heart” become the most commonly heard phrase in my house? We both wound up in tears this morning before we ever got dressed for church. It’s getting to be ridiculous! And don’t get me started on where little brother fits into it all…he’s a Drama King in training for sure! This morning he told me he needed a hug because his teeth were sick. What in the world?
But one good thing has come out of it all. I’ve come up with an idea for the ultimate addition to any mother’s minivan – one of those plexiglass divider windows they have in limousines. Doesn’t that sound like heaven? Forget MP3 players you can start with a voice command. Keep your heated seats and valet starters. You want to give me something that will absolutely make me buy your vehicle and want to live in it? Put in that divider! And make it one of those power window kinds, too, so that I can roll it down when we’re all happy and loving each other, or at least when they’re asleep. No more listening to fights over toys! No more “Are we there yet”s or “But mom!”s! You could block out the whining with the touch of a button! Ahhh…I’ve been dreaming about it all week. A couple of times I’ve even mentally rolled it up and basked in the imaginary silence.
Anyway, I’m sorry to vent, but that’s what’s on my heart today and I owed you all a post. Thanks for your sympathetic nods and understanding sighs…it’s like I can feel them when you read. And for the one person who’s out there reading this blog thinking I’m the worst mother ever for thinking the things that I do, you’re welcome to borrow my children for a couple of days to try them on for yourself. You can even borrow my van – I’m sure you’ll have that plexiglass installed before you bring it back.
I’m off now to go be His fingers typing up words for the girls in our church and His arms wrapping around those frustrating little blessings I get to call my own. I really do love them, you know. And by His grace I’ll get better at being His heart to them as we grow together. Wish me luck on picking out shirts for preschool this week…
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