I Chose You!

I’m going to keep it real. The past twenty four hours have not been my most favorite parenting ones. Moody is the flavor of the day and I’m not a fan. One gave me the silent treatment as I dropped him off somewhere because I didn’t get something washed for him. Another one was jumping around like a fool and slipped, leaving a huge hole in the wall of our staircase. And finally, the youngest in my tribe got mad that I wouldn’t let her play in her basketball game today after missing school yesterday for a fever. She ran up to her room, also gave me the silent treatment, and shut me out.

These parenting moments are tough!

After an hour, my youngest child needed my help with something. There was an accident and she needed me. She humbly came to find me and procure my assistance. “I’m sorry, mom.” She spoke softly, while struggling to meet my eyes with hers. My response to her was easy. But it was only easy because God is softening my heart as a parent. “I forgive you! And I’m not mad,” I said. “You have to always remember that no matter what you do or say, I CHOSE YOU. I wanted you here. It wasn’t because I was bored or needed more to do with my day. It wasn’t because I had too much time and energy and nothing to spend it on. I chose you because I saw your picture, your file, and your future. And I knew that loving you meant choosing you. So I chose you. You needed me and I wanted you.”

And this is how I know what love is.

Ephesians 2:4-5 (NIV)

“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.”

I saw you in the hopelessness of your situation!

I wanted to hold you in your sickness!

I wanted to give you rest!

I saw your creativity and I wanted to give it expression!

I saw the possibilities for kindness and joy!

You just needed my help to find it!

Trust took time, but it was built with love…love that showed up over and over again!

You guys! That is our story too. God chose us. He has been building trust with us by showing up over and over again! I chose her because He chose me. That is why I keep showing up to parent the moodiest people in the universe. (full disclosure, when I call my people moody it is a total pot/kettle situation!) I’m the worst!

Talk to me about your parenting woes. Maybe we can laugh together…or cry together! I’d love to talk about choosing love when our kids make it difficult! And I’d love to know where you are with God. Do you feel chosen? Or are you struggling? Let’s spend some time around the table, friends!