forgiveness

Today my kids have:

• Stolen my nail file/buffer and used it as a plastic sword sharpener.

• Brought back out every toy I put away this morning. And more.

• Left capri-sun straw wrappers on the living room floor (do your kids do this?).

• Put a fully chewed piece of gum on the sitting bench under the front window.

• Let the dog out the front door, putting into motion a 35 minute chase down 5 blocks to get the dog back to our house (although, in my kids' defense, this was the fault of our dog...he has no loyalty to our home).

• Opened a 6 pack of paint, used their fingers to spoon out the paint into a shoe box, close the lid and roll around a Bakugan inside to see how much paint they could get on it, all on the front porch with white t-shirts on and no cloth down under the brick. Oh, and then my daughter brought in the sheet of paper that was inside the box and put it on her purple rug to dry. At least she rinsed out the paint brush.

• Whined because I wouldn't let him watch a PG13 movie (he's 8).

• Whined because her brother called her a chicken butt. And I mean whined excessively. 

This was all before 11am.  

After so much snapping and yelling out of pure frustration, which obviously wasn't working, I pulled both of my kids into the living room, sat them on my lap, and prayed with them. Thanking God for forgiving my shortcomings and asking for forgiveness from my kids, and a change of heart to turn around my attitude for the day. We all felt so much better and it was a new start. 

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” Mark 11:25

And we moved on. 

And only a few minutes later, Avalon moved right along and, upset about something Loudoun said, ripped up a piece of her brother's artwork and then proceeded to cry for 30 minutes when I asked her to apologize to her brother. When I was finally able to get audible words out of her, she admitted to being afraid of telling her brother she was sorry, in fear of his reaction.

Whoa teaching moment, were you just set up so conveniently? 

When we don't feel worthy of forgiveness, it is already there for us. We are so loved and He just wants to draw us near, and wants our hearts to turn towards Him. Amazing, right?

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

Once that little charade was over, the rest of the day turned around and much roller blading, cooking, photographing, playing and laughing took place.   

This family? We are constantly learning about forgiveness and starting fresh. We fail, and try again.