This is a typical scenario. Tatum will be struck with some type of guilt and she’ll reveal something to me which she was holding in.
One particular evening, she whispered to me something she had done and that it was haunting her (from that day). I said, “Not now, honey; we’ll discuss later.” She then wrote it on a post it and I knew we had to deal with it immediately.
She shared the story of the scenario and what she was guilty of. It was a pivotal moment in her life. I knew we needed to talk to Mrs. Denmark also; she needed to reveal it to her next.
Tatum was frightened; almost paralyzed, but I remarked that if she didn’t get it off her chest, it would haunt her forever. She kept saying, “It wasn’t worth it! I can’t live with myself!!” Thank goodness. Thank you, Jesus. I love her heart. I never punished her, but instead told her I was proud of how she handled it and how bold she was to be up front. The consequences were her haunting guilt and the natural consequence from the sin.
Tatum doesn’t do well if she has done something wrong; she beats herself beyond what is healthy sometimes. One thing is that she can’t keep things inside, and I’m the first one she tells…..always. Thank you that she trusts me and that she confides in me. I never want to shame her or make her feel terrible for confiding in me (that has to trump the punishment). The consequence is usually her conscience haunting her and then the natural consequence of what she did. Also, she always must make it right with God first and then if there is another party, them as well. Good lessons all around, and thank goodness for them being made as she is young and in our home.
See this smile? She is full of life! She is full of truth! She is full of HIM. For that, I can only be grateful. Yes, she will sin, fall, falter, and maybe stay there for a bit. BUT, I do see the LIGHT in her. Keep being YOU, my lovebug.