I am just so excited about how God works out every little detail in my life. I have really struggling with some "pre-teen" issues with our oldest daughter. For the past few weeks she has been working through this with us. We have been seeking scriptures on anger, what happens to those who don't deal with their anger, what caution is there to those who are associated with angry people, how should we treat each other...etc. This usually helps her so much and just usually stops the issues at hand. However, this time we started noticing something new....the dreaded "snake-eye". She had started glaring at me in disgust when I was speaking to her about this issue. This seems to be accepted as normal pre-teen girl behavior but I was not comfortable at leaving there. I felt that was setting her up for failure in obeying God's Word to honor her mother and father and truly to just love one another. Trust me...there was no love in that look!
So after discussing it with my husband and praying about it for many days I asked a dear friend for her advice/opinion as she has a daughter a bit older and I knew her heart is the same for how we desire our daughters to be raised. After talking with her, I was reassured in how I had handled the situation and how I would even more so attack the heart issue behind the look . With that said, during that conversation, my daugther was having an issue with her sister, yet again. My husband stepped in to monitor and guide her through her anger. She responded well to him and seemed to shake it off rather quickly. Later, when her sister was occupied, she asked if she could speak to her daddy and me for a minute. I was seriously waiting for something scary to be asked...we worry so much over nothing! Anyway, she sat down in front of us in our living room and proceeded to say words every parent prays to hear and I will never forget.
She said, "Mommy and Daddy, I need to apologize to you for being disrespectful the past few weeks. I didn't like the consequences you decided on for my acting out in anger to my sister and I thought that if I stayed mad at you I would feel better. But today when I let Daddy give me a big hug and I gave him a hug back instead of the "jelly fish" hug...I felt better. I didn't know that I needed a hug to help me get the mad out. I am going to do better at not staying mad at you to try to get back at you for the consequences I deserve. I am sorry that I was rude and I won't do that anymore. I want to honor God. Please forgive me. "
Needless to say, we had a wonderful moment that only a parent and child can have in a time like that. Hugs and words of encouragement followed her apology and she just sparkled for Jesus at that time. Here I have been so full of concern for the past few weeks over her heart issues and all along I needed to stay the course and trust that my God is big enough to work it out in His perfect timing. What perfect timing He has!!! I felt so touched by her heartfelt apology and knew that she meant what she was saying as the tears fell with her words. Those of you who don' t know her might think it is a scam but for those of us who have been blessed to know this child we know this is our girl. Thank you God, for the glimpse into her heart today and for the reassurance in parenting. I think most people think it is easier to just let them go with their attitude and it will "work" itself out. I can tell you from experience, or so I have been told, that attitudes left on their own do not "work themselves out". They get worse!! I am just so humbled by her actions and her awareness of her need to go back and make it right with those she had been giving the ol' snake eye! We have talked for years about the need to confess your sins when they are brought to your attention, then go back and make it right with those you have hurt intentionally or unintentionally, then move forward and don't repeat that same sin. I thank God that message is getting through to her at such a young age and that she will be blessed by that for years to come. I know I am blessed by it now. I am a humbled mommy this morning as I prepare for a wonderful day with my two precious girls. Thank you God for more things than my mind can say at this hour!
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