Sleeping Perfection

“Why yes mother, I will clean that room right away! Ah Mom, allow me to do my chores today and then I will help brother with his! Yes, he is in my “space” but I will be glad to share it with him. No, no….I insist you take the first turn on X-Box, I will sit here until you are finished.”

Sweeter words never spoken…..exactly. NEVER being the key word here!!

I think every parent on the face of the earth wishes to some degree that their children were…you know….perfect. Some try to convince themselves and others that their little guys truly are angels. While some just prefer to ignore the inappropriate behavior of their little rascals. It is simply easier that way!

Well, let me tell you, it is never easy!

I thought it was hard when the boys were babies, toddlers, then harder as youngsters…and the teen years? Well, lets just say there were challenges then too. I thought I would never get them to sleep through the night as babies, then when they became teenagers I wondered if I would ever get them to NOT sleep through the day. I assume they were making up for the hours lost so many years ago.

However, peace did reign during those sleeping hours…hmmmmmm. Confession: Some days I let those teen boys sleep in to absorb the total peace and quiet..no, no it was because it was good for them. Actually, it was often called “survival”.

I cannot help but wonder as I look back….is that how the Father feels sometimes? Sometimes I miss it big time! Sometimes He purposes in my heart for me to do something and I simply ignore Him, or argue about it!

I often wondered how I was to handle an omission of an assigned task? It had been brought to light, now did I react? Did I punish with evil and angry intent? Did I discipline, as “train, teach, educate”? Did I simply ignore, praying the behavior would simply go away? Did I administer what I knew to be grace?

I will admit, I got angry every so often….and it did not turn out too well. If I followed my heart, the discipline and grace prevailed. Why? Because it did with my heavenly Father and it still does. He disciplines and teaches me when I mess up, but He does not beat me in anger. He administers grace, when I feel like I least deserve it. How is that? Grace. “God’s riches at Christ’s expense.”

I love my children. I loved them as babies, toddlers, youngsters, teens and now adults. I just said to someone last night that I would “lay down in front of an on-coming train to save them from pain”. You know what I mean. I always wanted to teach them to be the best that they could be….to live by faith…and trust Him when the world swirls around them…teach them all the things that they needed to be productive, loving members of society!

“Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by His father?” Hebrews 12:7

“Teachable moments” are what I used to call them. They still exist today, even as adults. But I have become an “advisor” and no longer “discipline”. I was not the perfect parent, nor were my kiddos perfect…..but HE was perfect and still is!

He is patient, kind, loving, nurturing, forgiving, giving…all the things that I longed to be for my children, HE IS. Our example is right in our midst…..not through our own strength, but HIS.

So when the kiddos are sleeping…..imagine just how “perfect” they are…(wink, wink).

~Be blessed

IN CHRIST ALONE