It has been a long time since I have posted.
Just for a quick update, I am 25 weeks pregnant with my third bundle of joy. We are having a little boy sometime in June.
My daughter is doing fantastic and she is learning and excelling greatly in school.
Joshua is growing up well, and he is quite the rambunctious little guy. But boys will be boys and he is definitely different then when I was raising Jazmine. Terrible two's are hitting hard, when they were barely noticeable with Jazmine.
With all that said...That is kind of why this post is coming about.
My children have felt like a handful lately and I was becoming nervous about having to mother and love one more.
I feel as though I have no time to even really give enough affection to the two I have now. My patience had run very thin these last two months. I felt like I was yelling and upset and rather unorganized more then should be. It was so out of the norm.
I started losing time in reading my Bible, writing my book, and keeping up with our apartment. Things were just falling apart.
Joshua has been rather wild and very adamant with testing our his boundaries. I was yelling chasing and rushing at him to nap and eat and go to bed...but it was just turning into a power struggle.
He does so well at our friends house. They tell him once and he doesn't put up a fuss, unless I am around. It was insane to me. Like he was Jekyll and Hyde, as my friend jokingly put it.
So with many prayer requests and advice and just seeking God to jump in...I realized I needed to be more patient. My yelling was stressing me out. Rushing to grab Josh and spank him and put him back in bed 20 times in 8 minutes was not working for either of us. Definitely started effecting Jazmine as well.
So I started taking the calm approach Started a new nap time and bedtime routine and if he got out of bed I would calmly lead him back to his room, rub his head and state to him that it was naptime/bedtime.
I was still back and forth from his room to lead him back to bed. But there was no crying, yelling or stress. And slowly the back and forth has dwindled down.
What came to mind to me today as I walked back and forth today is this:
God is so patient, so kind...He is back and forth with us as we test boundaries and as we disobey. Yet He still takes a calm approach and tries to lead us back onto the right path.
Yes, there are times that I have to be stern with Josh and give him a spank on the butt, when I barely make it down the hall to the living and he is already out of his bed and at his door again.
God has to be stern as well, but it is all in love and the fact that God chooses to be so gracious with us. His people, His creation. (Ephesians 2:6-9)
"The Lord really isn't being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent." (2 Peter 3:9)
"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:4)
"Be angry, and yet do not sin." (Ephesians 4:26)
"God...slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness: (Exodus 34:6)
"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)
All these are amazing verses to store up in your heart.
For yourself, your children and others. (Ephesians 4:32)
Much of this has stemmed from the devotional I started. I just started it 2 days ago, but even before that God so lovingly answered my prayers and showed me how to get started. Just following God and how he has done things and reading his Word and all that he laid out for us in the Bible to learn from. It was right in front of me and all I needed to do was let go of my way and follow his way.
If you are a parent struggling or feeling lost or that your attention toward your children is withering away, look into getting the book Love Dare for Parents. Also check out Beyond Bathtime, I read that all they way through it was such a game changer! Being a stay at home mom can put a damper on who you think you are and how the world sees you, but you have purpose and it is the most uplifting thing when you know you are not alone. Great Great book!
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