Reacting Under Pressure
My children make the most out of a grocery store trip by gigging and chasing each other down the aisles, asking for everything in sight. None the less, they don’t cause too much trouble outside of driving me crazy.
Once, they added a bit of a twist to our normal shopping experience. As we shopped, Kylie, who was my potty training 2 year old at the time, said “Mommy, I have to go potty.” Faster than I could grab her hand to take her to the bathroom, she squatted down and peed. Yes, PEED! On the floor through her shorts! I was dumbfounded as I stared at the puddle she was standing in, all the while trying to figure out the fastest way to clean it up, without leaving the scene of the accident. I quickly grabbed a complimentary paper bag from the freezer section and covered the puddle of urine on the floor.
We rushed off to the bathroom to see if there was anything left in her… which judging from the size of the puddle was highly unlikely. While trying to clean up Kylie up as best I could, Lilly, my 6 month old, decided at that very moment she must be held. We were just about to continue our shopping so I told Kylie and Julia, my 6 year old, to wash their hands while I used the facilities. While I was indisposed for less than 60 seconds, my lovely ladies decided to have a water fight. Yes! I walked out to find drenched hair, wet clothes and smiling faces!
Lord have mercy, is all I could say and mercy from the Lord they needed.
One cannot stay upset when looking into the eyes of these 3 sweet little blessings … so one does not look into their eyes!
I love them equally on the good days and on the not so great ones.
We lived happily ever after…The End
Yea, right! I wrote the story above a few years ago. Now, I can admit it’s funny but at the time, I didn’t know whether to laugh or snap! Reacting under pressure is something that ALL moms (and parents) struggle with.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV
True Love – God’s Love
True love is an unselfish act of kindness toward others. Jesus was the only one who walked this Earth as a pure example of love, by giving His life for us. We can be a reflection of His love to others.
When thinking of your spouse, kids, co-workers, in-loves and out-laws, family, friends, acquaintances, strangers… are you patient and kind ALL the time? I wish I could say YES, without a doubt, especially when dealing my husband and kids. The truth is as much as I love them, I am not.
Why do we get snippy with those we love?
- We are not capable. We don’t have the capacity to love them the way God loves each of us. He is Love, 1 John 4:8. We don’t have unfailing love, mercy, grace, patience, and forgiveness. We are only human. The reality is when we feel rejected or hurt by someone, it affects us. On the contrary, when we reject God it doesn’t affect His love for us. He never leaves us or forsakes us, Deuteronomy 31:6. He keeps trying to win our heart with His true love.
- Love comes from Him, through us, towards others. When we try to love alone we compromise our chance to be a light in someone’s life. Love is reflected in our attitude, tone of voice, and our words. Sometimes it means saying nothing at all. Matthew 12:33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.
- We can’t truly love on Earth because we can only understand a part of who God is. Therefore we don’t understand the full capacity of pure love. Jesus died on the cross for our sins – so we can ask forgiveness when we fall short… and we will fall short. Keep your heart open and teachable. James 1:5 NIV If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
Not about Us
True love is not about us, it is something that goes through us because of God’s love for us. We may be the only example of Christ others experience. We love for the sake of others, not as a response to the way we are treated.
Now that we have spent some time reading and reflecting on 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, I definitely see room for improvement. I have a lot of growing to do! Do you?
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