"Starve the things that are causing the discontentment." Hmmm.
Immediately, I knew that, for me, that was not to go to Craigslist and search for that 'great deal'...
I've been praying about how to teach these boys about contentment and how to save...they get a few bucks and it's burning a hole in their pockets...'Don't you know how long I've wanted the Indiana Jones Lego set?'...'I want chickens again, mom...'...'can we go out to eat?'..."Yes, you can buy..." 'But, mom, only if you pay me back...'
So, of course, if I'm ever going to impart something of eternal value to them, it first has to be producing fruit in me!
I am so grateful that His mercies, not just one mercy, but His mercies are new every morning, because it's Monday and I need that today.
Each one of these boys needs me to listen to Him and impart His life to them...
Yesterday was a day of rest and I rested...we played ball, we laughed, snuggled-(daddy had to work) and then I sat down to write an email and I heard these words, "Get the heck out of here"...and running around the house...the windows were open, breezes blowing in when I heard 'Ma'am?' 'Ma'am?'...
I walk to the front window and there, on the other side of the fence, is a Mexican man with a white cowboy hat on and another large man sitting in the passenger seat staring at me...'Do you have two boys?' "Yes." 'Well, one of them threw a rock and it hit my van." (At this point, I feel my stomach begin to rumble and I am headed to the bathroom to let go of whatever is in there...)..."He didn't do any damage, but I thought I should stop to tell you..." (At this point, I am just a little relieved that we're not going to be sued today...!)
'Hold on, sir...'
I made my way outside and whistled and one child comes running up, before I can say anything, he says, 'I didn't do it...I didn't do it, he did!'
The other son comes forward and is visibly trembling because not only is he caught, but evidence of two completely black hands and wrists-no way he can hide anymore...
I reminded him that this was his moment of opportunity to be honest and confess...
he acknowledges that he did, indeed, throw-not a rock, but in his words, "A little liquid mixed with some dirt..."and then he apologized to the man, who said, "Mijo, don't throw dirt at cars. Someone could get hurt." I then asked if it was accidental or if he intentionally tried to hit the van...he couldn't look up...Did my child, my innocent child, actually want to hit a van? Absolutely. His response was, "I already asked the man to forgive me." Yes, but to do it on purpose...his answer was that he was bored...Five minutes of being left to themselves and this is the result...Help me, Jesus! They were playing in the mud after I'd watered and since there's no grass yet, the temptation to make mud balls was too great and then to have targets right there...well, you get the picture.
The 'you terrible mother; why don't you train these boys better?' was screaming at me at that moment...'how could you let your children do such a thing?' was howling. But, the truth is, God loves these guys and they'd been throwing these 'mud bombs' at several cars when one child realized 'this isn't such a good idea and told the other one, 'we should call it quits'. Convicted child had also been throwing them, but didn't hit any cars! So, after the second one agreed, for a moment, he then threw the last one and that did it...right into a clean, white van, no less...
God loves these two and mom can't spend every waking moment with them teaching them...experience along with the Holy Spirit's prompting, and then not submitting to that prompting will most definitely bring consequences that they can learn from-at least that's my prayer...I can't protect them from every incident, but I can continue to pray for them, listen to the promptings of the HS myself and then watch and speak His words to each situation...
I did keep my cool, chose not to take this as an attack on my mothering skills and to allow it to play itself out...and it did.
It hadn't dawned on them that if they'd hit an old lady on a Sunday drive, she could possibly have lost control of the wheel, hit a tree and died...(worst case scenario!!!); but when I reminded them of how the devil is out to destroy them, the one said, "I'd have been a murderer...!" Now, talk about needing grace and mercy...reality check...
So, learning to listen is applicable in all areas, especially when it comes to bringing up the next generation!
How grateful I am that The Teacher lives inside of them and together we are growing up into Him...one moment at a time!
It's gonna be a great day.
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