It had been a long day at work and I came home to the babysitter playing outside in the leaves with the kids.
The weather was perfect with a slight breeze and the cool crisp air filling our lungs. Inside my heart though, I was distracted by my ever-growing to-do list and the tiredness caused by the wiggly baby growing in my ever-expanding belly.
The kids, covered in pieces of leaves, needed a bath desperately. I quickly stripped them down and filled the tub with soapy water. The bathroom is attached to the kitchen, so I popped my head around the corner to see what was in the refrigerator that I could turn into dinner fairly quickly. In the 2.5 seconds I was gone, the kids managed to fill the floor with, let’s just say, more than just a few drops of water with their splashing.
Normally a calm momma, I turned into the classic yelling momma. The kids know that bath water doesn’t belong on the floor but they got carried away playing and that’s where the water ended up. Tired already, yelling was my response. Immediately I regretted my words and changed my tone.
We ended up having cereal and fruit for dinner because it was all I could manage. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit brought this scripture to mind and I changed my words and my attitude with the kids. The evening ended with sweet snuggles on the couch and reading our new favorite bedtime book, Treasury of Bible Stories. The evening was redeemed!
Today, I pray that you also are reminded of this truth in Proverbs and that your evenings are filled with gentle answers.
Looking for more ideas and resources for Parenting With Purpose as you create a God-centered home? You can find the whole series here.
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