Gentleness

You can learn many things from children.  How much patience you have, for instance. 

~Franklin P. Jones

I’ve been participating in Women Living Well’s Gentleness Challenge since yesterday, and even on day 2 I feel so completely thankful for the blessings I have been given.

I admit a serious shortcoming of mine as a mom—I’m a yeller. Hands down it’s my biggest weakness as a parent.

Yelling.

Screaming at times.

Sometimes I’ve reached decibels I didn’t know were possible. The fury just rises within me and bursts out before I even know what’s happening.

Well, Courtney challenged us as Mom’s to be gentle with our words, uplifting.

I don’t want anyone to think I am ungrateful for these blessings of mine, but when they would do something that would be so crazy I would not handle the situation in the most ideal way.

For instance: a few years ago my oldest locked himself in the bathroom and poured toilet bowl cleaner all of the bathroom. Mind you he was 7 at the time, certainly old enough to know better than to do such a thing.

A few months ago I pulled out {again} my oldest son’s dresser only to find an ENTIRE package of gum, chewed up and spit out behind it. Omgsh I was so upset.

There was a time when Hayley took PERMANENT marker and drew ALL over the walls in the school room, omgsh, ALL OVER THE WALLS.

Again, tears of fury streamed down.

Well, yesterday I devoted to being gentle. No matter what crazy, ridiculous, childish thing they do, I will not overreact. And in 2 days I have been challenged and tried and have ACTUALLY stood strong {big ‘ol smile}

Yesterday, Jaxson comes to me and says, “Mommy, I am sorry for overflowing the toilet”.

My response is of course, “oh no.” I could feel the fury rising within me. “What did you do?” I asked; to which he sweetly replied, “I flushed the construction paper down the toilet”.

Oi vey. He couldn’t possibly have known not to do this, but even if he had, a gentle answer was what he received.

And today, before school I hear Jordon {the oldest} in the bathroom flushing the toilet 3 TIMES. Again I say, oi vey.

So, I go in and the toilet is overflowing. He had used AN ENTIRE ROLL OF TOILETPAPER to wipe himself.

For the love of goodness, seriously? I thought at that moment, “God I am not cut out for this gentle thing.” But, I can do all things through He who gives me strength {Phillipians 4:13} and I indeed gave him a gentle reminder that if he needs help, he can most certainly ask. He’s never too old to ask for help.

I breathed a sigh of relief…..GENTLENESS

I didn’t think I could do it, and it’s only been 2 days, but guess what. I feel so joyous. I don’t feel overworked, tired, anxious as to when the kids will work my nerves to the bone.

I am so thankful I saw Courtney’s post and took the challenge. I am so thankful even more that our Creator is so gentle with us! I can take some serious lessons from Him!