When Your Kids Get It Right...

Teaching, training, discipline, correction, all these words mean the same thing.  Alot of work for Mom and Dad.  Often all this work feels like it doesn't make a difference. 
"I've corrected my child for hitting 800 times and still he hits!"
Or "No matter how many times I tell her to get her boots on she still won't obey!"
It can be very VERY frustrating being a parent.  And often feels very fruitless.  All our labours in vain.
I have a story to share in which I finally got a glimpse of my hard parenting work showing itself:

I was having a bad day. 
A terrible day in fact.
I was angry, agitated, grumpy.  The kids annoyed me. House work annoyed me.  The littlest provocation sent me through the roof!  I'd spent much of the day yelling at my kids (mostly to stay away from me because I knew how toxic I was) and I knew I was hurting their little hearts.  I apologized several times and hated myself each time but I just couldn't break free of the anger.  I couldn't loose the dark cloud that was hanging over me.
My son Jackson, age 4, said, "Mommy  I know how to get rid of your anger, just be happy like me!"
I looked at him and smirked.  I thought, "If only it were that simple kid."
But I decided instead to find out his secret to happiness.  Here I was being Mommy No-fun and he was smiling and being his happy self. 

So I asked, "How can I be happy like you Jackson?"

He thought a moment.
I expected an answer like "candy", or "playing cars" or a child answer like that.
He said, "We pray to Jesus.  He will take your anger away and then you can be happy!"
From the mouths of babes.
As I stood astonished he continued, "Jesus will come to our house and he will take away your anger.  Then we can be happy all day long!"
I finally replied, "When will He get here?!"

God took my terrible day and blessed me with words from my beautiful son.  How can I be so selfish as to be angry?  Thank you God for your grace and your mercy.  And thank you for showing that hours and days spent in prayer and teaching your word has not been in vain.  Thank you.