Things I learn from my daughter.

I have something to confess:  Sometimes, I get overwhelmed by being a mommy. 
Yes.
You read that right.
It's true. 
I usually have a brave face on when I'm out in public.  Some people even think I've got it all together. 
Let me echo one of my favorite songs:
Nobody's Got It All Together. 

Earlier this week, while trying to accomplish something *important*, I was not attending to my children, and they were squabbling.  After one particularly ear piercing shriek from Super Beautiful, I completely lost it. 
I got angry.
I yelled at my kids. 
I screamed at them to go to their rooms.

And then it hit...  just a sick, sinking, feeling in the pit of my stomach.  What had I done?

I kept to my mommy-time-out for a little bit longer, prayed and confessed to the Lord, sent off an e-mail to a dear sister in Christ asking for prayer for the situation, and then I headed up the stairs...

My son, Super Map, is a bit over 2 1/2 and has a pretty short memory.  He was just happy to see me.  I confessed to him that I was wrong and asked for his forgiveness and we prayed together.  Done.

Super Beautiful is almost 5 and has an excellent memory.  She just looked at me when I opened the door.  You know, the look that just pierces you to the core.  I went over to the bed and gave her a hug and again confessed that I had sinned, that I was sorry, and asked her to forgive me.  Which she did, in a heartbeat.  We prayed together.  Then we talked about how no one besides the Lord Jesus is perfect.  And that Mommy is definitely NOT perfect.  She understood.  I was forgiven.

I think that I was so sick because my memory verse for this two week portion is this:

Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.
- 2 Corinthians 5:9 NKJV

My behavior was not in line with my aim; to be well pleasing to Him.   Praise God that He is a forgiving God, who before time began already had in place the plan of salvation, and that His Son paid the price for my sin on the cross. 

Praise Him that we can turn to passages like this one:


If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
- 1 John 1:9  NKJV

This morning, as part of my Covenant study,  we looked at a portion of Ephesians 4. 

²⁹ Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. ³² And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. 
- Ephesians 4:29-32 NKJV

What timely instructions.  I needed to hear this again.
I'll need it again after nap time, (let's face it I might need it *during* nap time too!)
again around supper time,
again before bed time,
again tomorrow...
and beyond.




Back to my title today: my daughter has taught me many things.  A few of which have really struck home this week:

1. I can take a lesson from her in forgiving easily and not holding a grudge (no matter how well deserved).
2. She'll say "Mommy" and I expect her to ask me for something, and she just says "I love you."
3. Secretly heading into the bathroom with a pair of scissors can be very freeing ;-)  Just don't tell her for a while, she hasn't noticed my new do, so obviously I wasn't as drastic as she has been.