Quick to Listen, Slow to Speak and Slow to Anger

"My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger." James 1:19 

I almost had one of those parenting moments this morning that I most certainly would have regretted had this verse not been on my heart.  

While I was washing dishes this morning, I asked my 3 year old to put the new shampoo and conditioner bottles on the counter in our master bathroom.  

I need to give my daughter kudos for being such a willing and helpful little girl.  She is always so sweet and cheerful when I ask her to do things for me.  Thanks Daisy!

I digress, moments later she runs out to me with a rather wild eyed look on her face and exclaims, "Mom, duh towet paper fewl in duh potty!"

I remembered that I had left a brand new roll (and the last roll) of toilet paper sitting on the bathroom counter and I wondered if that had been too much of an opportunity for her to pass up.  After all toilet paper does go in the potty, so why not drop in an entire roll right?  

I followed her into the bathroom as she waved her hands in the direction of the toilet and had a concerned look on her face.  I felt a twinge of anger welling up in my heart because let's be honest a part of me was jumping to the conclusion that this was intentional and that she would need discipline.  Trying to keep my frustration under control I asked her, "Daisy, how did this happen?  Was this an accident or did you just drop it in?" I recognize that her communication skills are still rather limited when it comes to logic so I had to be extra patient as initially she didn't seem to be able to give me an answer. So, I asked her again more gently and with a kinder expression on my face, 

"Daisy boo, how did the toilet paper get into the potty?" 

Her response gave me a good and unexpected barrel laugh.

With her typical animated gestures and expressions she replied with a big swoop of her hand, "I put duh shampoo on duh cowntur and den duh toiwet paper went WOOOOOOSH off duh counter and into duh potty!"  Let me emphasize that her Woosh was incredibly loud and passionate. :) It was hilarious and perfectly expressed.  Again, well done Daisy!

I pulled the sopping wet roll out of the toilet and after I knelt down next to my toddler and looked into her ever joyful brown eyes.  "Daisy, thank you for telling me the truth and for coming to get me when you needed help."  

As I walked away from that amusing little situation, I praised God that His word gave me the strength to keep from doing something that I would have sorely regretted.  If I had responded immediately in anger as is so often the temptation in moments of parent-child conflict, I would have falsely accused and reprimanded my innocent child (not always innocent of course but, in this instance she was. lol).  Then she would have been hurt (if only emotionally) by my behavior and I would be grieving over my error.

 "My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger." James 1:19 

It is amazing how much peace can be kept in a home simply by adhering to the wisdom in the verse above.  Be quick to listen.  Use your ears first. Give your kids and your spouse a chance to speak before jumping to quick conclusions or false judgements.  Be slow to speak.  Our immediate responses can often be selfish and unkind in the midst of conflict.  Give yourselves time to chew on what you need to say before you say it.  This will help you to filter out the heated words that you might have spoken and instead speak words with more patience and love.  

 Don't get me wrong, I have made plenty of parenting mistakes  (already in 3 short years?...I know right) but, this was one instance that I was keenly aware of the fact that God's word was guarding my heart and as a result, the outcome was a blessing and not a regret.  Instead we enjoyed peace and marvelous laughter.  My favorite.

Is this a verse that you are familiar with and if so does it challenge you in a positive way in your relationships?   

I would have lost heart...

A picture that I adore with a couple of verses that I hold tightly too...pretty much equals perfection in my book.  

If you are in a season of pain or trial or just having a hard week then I encourage you to also claim these verses for your life.  Don't stop believing friends!  God is so faithful.   

Happy New Year! 2013 Here We Come

God closed out the very last day of 2012 with the most beautiful sunset. I couldn't help but, linger outside in the chilly air just to gaze at the glory all around me.  The most majestic painting splashed across the Heavens; a gift from the creator, to all of us below.  

Tonight we are ringing in the new year from the comfort of our cozy couch.  We ordered a ton of take out sushi and even Daisy devoured a few rolls happily, until she got a super spicy roll on accident and then she was completely disinterested.  We hope that didn't ruin her love of sushi for good!

Now are watching some flicks while listening to the steady crack and pop of fireworks outside.  It's a wonderfully relaxing evening...my favorite. 

 I don't generally make New Year's resolutions but, I do love the refreshing feel of a full new year ahead.  Lots of new places to visit and people to meet.  Four wonderful seasons to experience all over again and adventures to be had.  More importantly to me though, is the never ending adventure of learning more about who I desire to be as I continue to learn more about who Christ is. That is what I look forward to most at the start of each new year.  What are your resolutions for this New Year?

I hope that you all have a wonderful night ringing in the New Year. 2013 here we come!

Peace

I love when I come across a picture in my files that seems to beg for a bible verse and this was one of those.  I took it a week or so ago at a park near our house.  I love the way the sun is streaming in across the tranquil waters.  The ducks appear to be quite content and all seems to be well in the world. Peace.

  I've been having a couple of extra challenging weeks with my passionate 2 year old.  She has been testing me with incessant tantrums, potty training failure and nap resistance.  Basically she has all but, turned into a new human being and quite frankly I am missing the pleasant child that I gave up my job to stay home with. teehee.

 It is in the challenging seasons of life that we often get more discouraged and question our abilities (or in my situation my parenting skills).  Am I disciplining her right?  Am I doing enough to bring out the best in her? Am I loving her enough? How come she doesn't know how to read Shakespeare yet like those other two year olds? Am I patient enough? Have I been teaching her enough about Jesus?  Why is she dead set on chucking a block at that kid's head every time they want to play with her? Is TV frying her brain?  Or perhaps the TV should be on more often so that I take breaks from her craziness?  Does she get enough play dates...or maybe she is getting too many play dates? Blah Blah blahgity blah.  And no, blahgity is not a word.  I am fond of making up new words from time to time.  Thank you for wondering. ;)

I put my little one down for her nap today and took my ever growing angst to the Lord in prayer.  God is always so faithful to realign my thoughts in truth and calm the stormy waters in my soul.  After meeting with Him in prayer I'm left with peace.  I also become keenly aware of the fact that I am so glad that I am not God.  I can't imagine having billions of whiny adults driving me crazy all day (and fortunately we don't drive Him crazy)!  One whiny two year old is more than enough.  I am also reminded of how patient my Father in Heaven is with me and with all of His kids and I am so thankful for such a perfect parenting example.  The more I look to Him for parenting advice (or life advice) the more the chaos to the right and to the left of me begin to fade.  I know I don't have to have it all figured out.  Sometimes I just need the big guy upstairs to remind me that He has already taken care of it all and I can rest in His peace. 

Side note:  I am totally aware that the 2's and 3's and 4's and 15's are all full of new challenges and drama.  My little girl is behaving right on cue for a 2 year old.  Ultimately, I am the one trying to learn how to behave as my child's behavior will ever be changing.  Thanks for supporting me in this wild journey called parenthood!

Feeling Festive

Hope

Daisy was up Friday morning at 2:30 AM with a coughing spell that wouldn't stop.  I brought her into bed with me while Joey set up the humidifier in her room.  I was surprised that she stayed so still on my chest while while I sang to her and rubbed her back.  This is the first time I have had to get Daisy out of bed in the middle of the night for at least 9 months or so.  It felt so different to hold my much bigger baby in my arms in the darkness of the morning.  To hear her raspy breaths and feel her warm forehead on my cheek took me back to when she was even littler and sick all the time but, she is still helpless all the same.  I took my time walking her back to her crib.  I was in no hurry to put her down.  I rocked her by her bedside and prayed for lungs to ease up on her.  She was so tired that she never stirred and when I finally laid her back in her bed she curled up without a peep even ignoring the jet like roar of the humidifier.  I walked back to bed and heard another nasty cough on the monitor, said another prayer and pleaded with God to give her rest and then all praise to Him, there was silence and she slept the rest of the morning in peace.  Thank you Jesus!

Needless to say, we are staying home from church today so that we don't spread our sickness to other poor families trying desperately to stay healthy.  I think I am going to be reading some of Francis Chan's Crazy Love this morning (a fantastic read!!) to be my church alternative and I'm breathing in the sweet perfume of the verses I've shared in this post today.  I am always carrying what feels like a heavy heart these days and fatigue is a constant companion.  The day to day struggle to hold on to my own joy in the midst of my husband's battle with depression is a challenging one but, I give God all the glory for sustaining me, giving me rest and giving me so many things to be thankful for.  I am learning more life lessons than my brain can contain and I look forward to the day when I can give back to others who are struggling in a similar battle.  I look forward to paying forward and sharing more in depth with you all as well as I'm sure I am not the only one walking this road.  Meanwhile, I ask that you pray for our family but, not worry for us.  God is good and we are going to be okay.  HE works all things together for our good and this too will pass.

And to conclude on a lighter note...Daisy is currently tugging on my leg and asking for a sip of my "tahpee (coffee)."  I guess it's not a good sign when one of her many first words is coffee because that means that somebody is giving her sips...and shamefully I only have myself to blame.  The horror!  hehehe  Just a couple tiny sips people...tiny and it's SO worth it to hear her ask for, "tahpee, tahpee," every morning and then after giving her a tiny sip, "mmmmmmmmm, tahpee."  I'm cracking up right now!! hahaha




Psalm 34:18
"The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed." (NLT)

Psalm 10:17
"LORD, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them." (NLT)

Psalm 94:19
"When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer." (NLT)


Psalm 121
A song of ascents. ^1" I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
   where does my help come from?
² My help comes from the LORD,
   the Maker of heaven and earth.
 ³ He will not let your foot slip—
   he who watches over you will not slumber;
⁴ indeed, he who watches over Israel
   will neither slumber nor sleep.
 ⁵ The LORD watches over you—
   the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
⁶ the sun will not harm you by day,
   nor the moon by night.
 ⁷ The LORD will keep you from all harm—
   he will watch over your life;
⁸ the LORD will watch over your coming and going
   both now and forevermore."

Scripture and a Snapshot

Keeping things quick and simple on this gorgeous Sunday afternoon. I love this weekly scripture and snapshot link up over at Katie Lloyd's Photography Blog. I love I can take the Word that means EVERYTHING to me, and then express it with a photo. What could be better than incorporating two of my loves into one thing! I pray that each of you are having a blessed day with your families! It sure is breath taking Spring weather today here in North Carolina!! The skies are so blue and the sun is so warm. Love it!

Scripture and a Snapshot

Week three of my participation in Katie Lloyd's Scripture and a Snapshot challenge. I'm proud of myself for sticking with this challenge! I love that it encourages me to get into the Bible but, also to hunt down an awesome picture!

I went to a beautiful pond today so my hubby could fish and I walked around with my little one to kill time. I saw these stairs and they looked much cooler in person as they were in the middle of a mossy green trail with trees all around! Beautiful! This verse is comforting to me because it tells me that God is in control so I have nothing to fear. I surrendered my life to the Lord many years ago. I know HE wants the BEST for me; far better than I could ever imagine for myself so though I may occasionally forget this and carry out the plans that I think are best for my life, He is still directing my steps, because I have asked him too. To me that is awesome!

Click here to check out the other awesome entries this week!

Scripture and a Snapshot

I am linking up again with Katie Lloyd's, Scripture and a Snapshot challenge! YEAH! I actually did it two weeks in a row. Big deal for me! lol If you haven't done so before you really should link up or check out the other entries. It's very inspiring!

This is hands down one of my favorite pictures I have EVER taken. This was taken in May of 2009 in the Dominican Republic while my hubby and I were celebrating our anniversary. We have a friend who happened to live nearby where we were staying in the DR. She was a missionary teacher and she gave us the honor of touring the small Christian school she worked for. I walked into this classroom and this little girl looked over her shoulder at me as I was snapping a picture of the crosses. I felt like God ordained a perfect photography moment to speak out his love for this child. I am not sure if this little girl is Haitian (I think she is though) or Dominican but, the children there are extremely poor and very rarely are able to continue their education. God loves this priceless little girl and I pray that she is loved and cared for today. This picture makes my heart ache for these kids and I am so grateful to the missionary women who are serving and loving the children in the Dominican Republic.

Scripture and a Snapshot

I joined up with Katie Lloyd's Photography Sunday challenge of Scripture and a Snapshot. I love the idea of incorporating my favorite bible verses into my passion for photography! Click on Katie's link below the picture to visit her awesome blog and to see other entrees!





I look forward to when the cherry trees bloom each year. They signal that Spring is on it's way and that warmth and colorful beauty is just around the corner. This pictures seemed perfect for this verse. God takes care of the flowers by giving them water from Heaven and nutrients in the soil. We have nothing to worry about because God takes care of us! How much time do we waste worrying about things that we could simply give up to the Lord and let Him sort out? This verse and the few that follow it in the bible are some of my favorites! God Bless you all this Sunday. I hope it is a wonderful day.