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| courtesy of Luigi Diamanti; FreeDigitalPhotos.net |
Sometimes I think that I am as impatient as they come. I get frustrated with lack of discipline, frustrated with laziness, frustrated with lateness and rushing, frustrated with messy rooms and too much snacking and opening the door to go in and out 50 times an hour.
I feel guilty when I am short-tempered and snippy as these things build up around here.
I want the house to be clean and the kids to not fight and to stop growing and give me a break from buying new shoes shorts dresses socks tee shirts underwear for 5 seconds!
Here's what I don't do, and what raises my ire more than almost anything. I don't name call.
"You're a pig!" "You're such a slob!"
"What's wrong with you?"
I do not do everything right, please don't think that. I'm just calling out some things today that are beyond not-right; they are downright wrong. Have you ever heard a parent say these things:
"I wish I never had you."
"I don't want you here."
"Why can't you be more like ____?"
"I'd bury you if I could get away with it."
Folks, whether you are a believer in the word of the Bible or not, you have got to realize that in the tongue lies the power of life and death.
You are writing on your children's hearts every time you open your mouth.
Every time.
My heart breaks when I hear these words spoken to children. Sometimes I have heard them spoken very close to me and it takes everything in me not to scratch out the eyes of the speaker.
Write on the hearts of your children:
I love you.
You are wonderfully made.
The only 'mistake' is that I didn't have you sooner so I could love you longer.
You're smart.
I expect you to do well.
You're wanted.
You're mine.
You're a gift.
Speak wonder and glory, success and acceptance, beauty and life into your children
today.
Every day.
***For those wanting a scripture reference for the power of the tongue, look at Proverbs 18:21 and also at the book of James, chapter 3.
1 comment:
My oldest son asked the other day what would have happened if i didn't get married and didn't have him and his brother--(becuase he goes to a Catholic school and believes that only married people have kids). I told him that I would have found him one way or another becuase my life hasn't been complete until him. Just to see his face light up was all worth it. Your children need to know that you want them--no matter what. At least in that moment he was validated.
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