Giggles and Grace
12:30 PM
Voices were raised, hands were flailing, and tears were
falling.... Dramatic is an understatement for what had just gone down in my
car.
My husband and I exchanged words, our eyes met, and I was
frazzled. Tempers, tempted to wage war at one another. However, the other
temper tantrum, interrupted us serving as a reminder "we are in this
together."
No one in the car had succeeded at expressing our emotions
and feelings in a gracious, loving, kind, and forgiving manner.
Other than my
10 month old who let out a giggle, as if to try and say, “You people are crazy,
apple juice, really that is why everyone is having a momentary melt down?”, we
were all fizzling and our fuses were exploding on one another like a pressure
cooker reaching maximum heat.
Thank the good Lord for driveways! The moment we pulled up I
hurried out of the car. Removing our
three year old from his car seat I immediately took him inside where I could
put him to bed and end the madness.
My love and I continued to hash out the past events and
finally looked to each other with desperate and dumbfounded eyes. We blew
it, and we knew it. The only thing left to do was hug and hold each other with
the grip of love.
The kind of love that's not afraid to say, “I'm sorry”,
extended grace enough to cover the ugly, wipe tears from the eyes of the
haughty, and forgive much and move on.
“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, and 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. Love never
fails.”
As the sun was setting, the kitchen
table called my name. Each afternoon I
am blessed with a grand view of the hand of God as He allows my eyes to behold
His beauty through each sunset. He
paints me a masterpiece everyday. I sat
with coffee and looked out waiting, listening, and He spoke to me about His
grace as I read a blog from a friend of mine. (Read here)
Her words reminded me, we have been given
GRACE, generous amounts of GRACE and we are to extend the same GRACE to each
other. Grace, unmerited favor. When I am blazing with furry, accusing
everyone with blame, and flipping my lid over a screaming toddler, GRACE. He speaks grace to me, through the laughter
of my youngest.
He giggled, in the midst of anger, and
showed us a picture of grace. Our youngest did not pass judgment on anyone in
the car, did not raise His voice to match ours, he simply let out a laugh. Laughter and love is like medicine to our
hearts.
Let us remember to extend GRACE. Generous amounts of grace just as Christ has
done for us, He doesn’t keep score, He doesn’t rejoice with evil when other’s
“get what they deserve”, He forgives much.
He is for us not against us and isn’t
that how we should parent? With each
other not against each other, not trying to argue who is right or wrong. Let us
join together and parent with love in our eyes, GRACE in our hands, forgiveness
in our hearts, and kindness on our lips. Sometimes, most often of times, I just
need to let out a laugh and parent together with my love extending generous
amounts of GRACE.
20 comments
Not sure there's anything to add to...His Grace!
ReplyDelete:) Thanks, Susan!
DeleteGreat post Laura! Our kids teach us so much don't they? They really are God's grace to us! Glad you and your hubby could laugh and forgive. Thanks for the blog love!
ReplyDeleteYes, they do I have another post in the making for later this week that my son inspired as well! :) You are welcome. I am so thankful I sat and read your post that day! God knows what we need to hear when we need to hear it!
DeleteGrace is such a beautiful gift. " For it is by grace through faith that you have been saved, it is not your own doing but a gift of God."
ReplyDeleteYes, if not for grace where would we be!?
DeleteOh the Power of Laughter!!! Grace for sure!
ReplyDeleteYes, I am so thankful for my children they make me laugh everyday!
DeleteThere is a quote that says "The laughter of a child is worth more than a thousand pounds of gold." I am inclined to agree... Thank you for sharing about your struggles! This is something I think applies to all areas of life, and not just marriage. We have been extended GRACE, and we should extend that some GRACE to others.
ReplyDeleteAnastasia Rose
walk-in-the-rain-with-me.blogspot.com
I love that quote I will have to add that to my list of faves! You are welcome while I found nothing humorous about the situation at the time I can look back and smile. I just had the same conversation about how this applies to every area of our lives with another friend of mine!
DeleteLoved this so much!
ReplyDeleteThank you, I am glad you enjoyed this parenting thing can get difficult!
DeleteI really enjoyed reading your post! Our seeds are 23 and 21, but oh how I remember the back seat meltdowns. And usually, in the thick of the most intense situations, our youngest son would use his completely dry humor and crack us all up! Thanks for bringing back memories that cause me to smile and laugh out loud!
ReplyDeleteAwe thank you, yes it is in the thick that I often loose my grip on my emotions and words, and then one of them will do something that reminds just how unimportant my melt down is! :)
DeleteA beautiful post with great reminders. It is so easy to get caught up in the frustration and anger. Grace is certainly an ongoing lesson for me!
ReplyDeleteYes everyday I hear Grace call my name and remind me, to slow down and breath in HIs goodness!
DeleteThank you for linking up and inspiring us with this picture of grace--totally undeserved landfalling like rain on a parched and hot land mine of emotions.
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking time to read it always blesses me when others take time to read when I know that people are busy, I am glad you were reminded and refreshed as You read my post. :)
DeleteYou shared an honest picture of what every parent couple goes through but doesn't want to talk about. It's humiliating to have to need your baby to diffuse the situation, but we've all been there. It's real. And so is God's grace. Real, freely given and His forgiveness of our tantrums is complete! Thanks for this post!
ReplyDeleteCarol, yes I even debated whether or not to share, but the truth is I don't have one friend who has not experienced what I went through that day. I am so happy I shared and was able to bring relief to those who are hiding, feeling alone and hopeless. We all need help, grace, and to be reminded to forgive much. I am so thankful He forgives my tantrums as well as my children's! I feel like I have more of them than they do ha ha lol. You are most welcome, it was my joy to share.
Delete