Thursday, September 24, 2009

Bridge over troubled waters

Sometimes it is the little things that turn into the big things...
and you begin to see those big things a lot more clearly.


So, for today my one and only goal is for my oldest son not to cry during school. He has been under so much pressure with many different things lately. I am learning to look at myself for his way of reacting. What do I do that causes this child to be so sensitive to not being perfect? How high are my expectations compared with reality? It may be his personality, sure. It may be his temperament, sure. Or it could be ...me. I will not know unless I pray and think of how I might be able to change ME. Because that is all I can control, really.

That ME is all I can change.

Life can be busy and I can be very goal orientated for our school day. I can overlook the small things that make or break a little child's day. I tend to want things my way and flexibility is not that easy for me. My days consist of wanting to keep to my schedule, my plans that I have worked on so hard to accomplish for the week. I can look at schooling my kids with a big check list and I sometimes lose the enjoyment of schooling them. I want my children to see me teaching them JOYFULLY so that they enjoy learning as much as I do teaching them.

It is a reality shock at times of how and why we want things versus the reality of day to day.

There has to be some bridge and that is what I am on these last few weeks.

(It's not as bad as I may be writing it to be. Don't get me wrong, it is not as though my son is sobbing with tears all day long. But there are tears. Tears b/c of schoolwork. Tears b/c of his teacher. This is nothing that cannot be worked on and changed and that is what we are up to today.)

A bridge.
How could I NOT post this pic?! How true it is-look at it! Those troubled waters below; the "so called bridge" -so thin-but so is the right road that leads to life eternally! And I can't help but look at it and see that there is a friend along side me during these times.

So, I pray, dear Lord, help me to be extra sweet, extra cautious with my words and actions with this particular child today. Help me, Lord, to put out the little fires that occur many times a day with a gentle hand, a gentle voice and a joyful, forgiving attitude. Help me to chisel away anything that is not of You. Help me carve me into the mother and wife you created me to be. Forgive me for all the wrongs I do and help me to do right. Amen.


God bless!
Mary

1 comment:

Kathy said...

Excellent post. I could have written it. I do see myself as a bit of a burden sometimes. I think my own goal oriented, get it all done nature is too much and I lose the pure enjoyment of being with and teaching my children.