Today, I took it personally. Sure, we train our children up in how they should go, and they should follow every bit of it perfectly, right? Isn’t that the way it’s supposed to work? (I know better).
If someone told me this, I’d say, well, sure, but nobody is perfect, and definitely children with undeveloped brains cannot do the right thing every single time.
Especially my sweet Tatum!
My sweet Tatum is human and definitely makes the wrong choice sometimes.
This morning when I picked her up fro m her Sunday school class, Holly, her teacher, told me she did not obey today, and it was the worst of the worst today. She did not sit during the lesson, she did not color when asked, and she just did not want to follow directions.
My heart sank. Really!?
The car ride home was pure silence. Tatum kept saying, Mommy, I feel so sad. All I could say to her was, We will talk when we get home. I want to look at you.
We went right upstairs and sat in her room. I talked to her about why we obey. Why do we even go to church? Why do we do the right thing? All of her answers revolved around because God loves us and we love Him.
I don’t want her to obey or do the right thing for me or because I tell her to. No. I want her to understand the bigger picture. It pleases God. It makes him happy. It shows we love Him when we follow His direction; when we obey our leaders; when we are kind; when we respect others. She gets this, but she doesn’t always make the right choice.
Well, bingo. We don’t as adults either, but the key is how do we handle it after.
How do we repent and TURN from it and change? We do what Tatum and I did.
We prayed. We asked for forgiveness. We asked for help in changing. We asked for our ways to be like His ways. We also will…NO, she will seek out Holly, and will ask for her forgiveness.
She lost some privileges for the week. Some big ones. But, I think it made an impression on her. I cannot take it personally. I can only do my best as her Mommy. I love that little girl with all of my heart.