Parents, don't be hard on your children. Raise them properly. Teach them and instruct them about the Lord.
Eph 6:4 (CEV)
Whoever said being a parent was easy? No one!
As we were leaving for a mini getaway this week, I asked my girls if they wanted to eat breakfast at home or grab a donut from the gas station before we left town. Well, of course, all of them wanted to grab a donut. So, I said, that's fine, but it's only going to be a donut. I wanted to spend at most $10 on gas station food.
We left the house and got to the gas station; I told the girls to go inside and pick out a donut as I filled the tank. Good plan, right? I thought so, and it seemed we were all on the same page. Unfortunately, I was wrong, at least partly. One of my children, who will remain nameless to protect your opinion of her, decided she didn't want something sweet. She wanted a $5 sandwich instead of the $1 donut. I reminded her of our deal, and she started to form tears.
I've stopped feeling bad when little girls cry. Of course, I'm worried that something is wrong with me, but for my budget and sanity, they don't affect me anymore.
She decided that if she couldn't get a biscuit, she wouldn't eat breakfast, which was just fine by me. I reminded her that her stubbornness was inherited and that I am much more practiced at it than her!
We left the gas station. She with an empty tummy, and I with frustration, which was proved when I forcefully placed my coffee into the holder and spilled coffee all over my pants!
What a way to start a trip! Thankfully, things have improved, and all the ruffled feathers have been smoothed. But, you know, I was thinking about my family. How thankful I am to have such a lovely wife and children. Even in the hard times when they disobey and need correction, I am grateful for the opportunity to experience life with them.
I'm reminded of a great verse in Psalms:
3 Children are a blessing
and a gift from the Lord.
Ps 127:3 (CEV)
Even with all the headaches and heartaches, they are still gifts from the Lord. We have had more good times than bad, and I am truly blessed.
Do you think that God thinks of us in this same way? That we are a gift to Him; that we are a blessing to Him?
I think we are. Even when we are not living our best for Him, He still loves us unconditionally. Remember that while we were sinners, He loved us. We don't deserve God's love; we can't earn it. We prove that we don't deserve it every time we need His correction. But yet, He still loves us!
Think about the words written by James.
16 Don't be fooled, my dear friends. 17 Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father who created all the lights in the heavens. He is always the same and never makes dark shadows by changing. 18 He wanted us to be his own special people, and so he sent the true message to give us new birth.
James 1:16–18 (CEV)
We are His special people. We are His family. We are His children.
Couldn't we be less stubborn? Shouldn't we want to please our Father in Heaven? Although I did want the best for my child when I offered her a FREE donut, she didn't want what I was offering. Her heart was set on something else. She wasn't content.
In our relationship with our Heavenly Father, we need to remember that we don't always get what WE want, but we freely receive what He has for us. And what He has is so much better than what we want because He knows everything. He's able to meet our needs better than we could ever imagine.
Let's trust Him more today. Let's ask for forgiveness for rejecting His gifts. He is forever our good Father. And for goodness sake, eat the donut!
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