Struggles

Let's be honest...I struggle.

I have clearly felt God pushing me to start this blog and write a book for a long time now. I have clearly been resisting and playing the, "I'm too busy" card. So, when our small group started reading a book entitled Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper, the last thing I thought I would be doing is starting this blog. But, the book was truly the last thing God used to push me to begin.

And so it began...I got things set up, I did a little research and I published my first post. It is starting, a blog I hope will encourage parents everywhere to raise children that bring Glory to God and grow the Kingdom of Christ. Do you know what happens next? .........Well, I'll tell you what happens next. The enemy moves into my home and starts having a camp out. No, I am serious.

The past two days have almost been unbearable. My daughter who is prone to tattle, seems to be tattling every five minutes. My son who is prone to loose his self-control, seems to have no self-control to even loose. The babe who brings me great joy when he says "ma ma ma ma," seems to be teething because he is clinging and crying non-stop. Our home which has been accident free for a long time, experiences two accidents in one day (one from the dog). The list goes on and on.

This afternoon, I had enough! I was seconds away from the moment when the top of my head comes off and steam shoots out and "mean" mommy takes over.....when God graciously distracted me. I "saw" everything that was happening and I just started to laugh. I had allowed this new adventure to interfere with what is truly important in my day.

When I stepped back, I remembered that God has blessed me with five amazing children and He has created them all with different strengths and weaknesses. They are each unique in their gifts and in their interests. When I choose to run my home on "auto-pilot," I get children that use these strengths and weaknesses to express themselves the best they can. It truly wasn't my children who made my last two days almost unbearable. It was me.

My hope is that I remember this lesson and don't have to learn it all over again next week. But, right now I am thankful for a God who forgives, children that love and encourage me when I fall down, a husband that supports me fully and a home where the enemy is no longer camping out.