You Gotta Listen!

I feel fortunate that most of the time my children don't test my patience to the extreme. Yesterday was NOT one of those days. Yesterday's sermon was on Exodus 20:12 - Honor your father and mother so that you may have a long life in the land the Lord your God is giving you. Perfect. Yes that command that comes with a promise....obey and honor your parents and live a long life....as in if you don't honor them and obey them, then you'll live a short life. And now as a parent I totally understand! Because when they continue to push your buttons you want to wring their little necks...which is way nicer than in the Old Testament days when they'd take you outside the city and stone you to death....wow!

So of course on the way home from church the testing of my patience begins. The 4 year old is the offender...I love 4 year olds. No really, they are the best. Really. They can disobey AND talk back! I actually said the words, "Don't make me pull this car over!"...and she made me. I don't make empty promises. After pushing the reset button, we got back on the road.

We got home, ate lunch, and I put her cranky, disobedient behind down for a nap. It was a nap she refused to take. The disobedience continued and so did the discipline. Oh good times. After that she finally got her act together for the rest of the evening. As I put her to bed and we said prayers she apologized to Jesus and to me for being rude and disobedient. She asked for help to obey and to listen and to be kind and loving.

This morning she performed for me a song she wrote in the shower last night. It's called, "Listen to your Mom and Dad". I guess I am getting through to her.

Enjoy.