Second chances....

and we thought this was the hardest part of  parenthood....boy, were we wrong.

Being a Momma is the hardest job in the whole wide world.  Don't get me wrong...it is absolutely the  best job, but also the hardest.

Lately my children have been fussing a whole heck of a lot. It drives me crazy.

No, it drives me insane.

I want my kids to be friends, the best of friends. I want peace in my house. I want loving words and kind acts of generosity.

Is that too much to ask?

Maybe I have aimed my sights too high.

After much prayer about this...I have decided to try a new approach.

On Tuesday of this week, my kids were back and forth, back and forth..arguing and tattle telling.

I was at my wits end with it all.

So, what's Momma to do?

I called them both into the den to have a "talk" with them.

They walked in with their little tails between their legs. They knew I had "had it".

"Joseph, I want you to go and clean your sisters room. Presley, I want you to go and clean your brothers room."

What??  They looked at me with complete disbelief.

They were not expecting this.

They both looked at each other, shrugged their shoulders and went off to do the task at hand.

After about 20  minutes, I peaked in on them and they were both still cleaning the others room. Joseph told me that he wasn't quite finished, he wanted to make it really special for Presley.

Presley had organized all of Joseph's books and had his room looking better than ever.

I was shocked.

This plan had actually worked.

When they finished, they couldn't wait to show each other what they had done.

My heart was about to burst with joy!

They were learning that it really was more fun to give than to receive. It was fun to put a smile on someones face.

Praise Jesus. My work was done. (for that afternoon anyway).

The moral of this story is that each time my children show selfish, rotten behavior...they must serve someone else in some way to make up for their behavior.

The million times that I have sent them to their rooms, or spanked their little bottoms for crude behavior....was not really teaching them what to do instead. They were just "punished".

I want to show them a better way.

This lesson applies to yours truly as well. I really want to make more of an effort in putting others before myself. I need to be a daily example of this to my children. I have failed miserably a lot of days.

Today is a new day, though. I will do the opposite of what my selfish flesh wants to do, and serve others...on purpose. 

I will continue to fail most days, but I will get up, shake off the dirt and try again.

Thank goodness we serve a God who believes in second chances.

Yes, being a parent is difficult, exhausting, overwhelming and just plain hard.

But, oh the joy of seeing the fruit of our hard work.

It's beyond exhilarating.

Wonder if that's how God feels about us?

I am betting it is.

thanking Him for second chances...and third and fourth...,

jill