A Hard Day...

Have you ever had a hard day? Well, that is what I am having today...

I almost titled this post the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day... but it has not been that bad... but it has definitely been a hard day...

Mostly because my children are choosing to be disobedient and disrespectful today, and yes I believe it is a choice, we all have a choice to make in how we behave and treat others. And my boys know this too, we talk about it often, and they know that they can chose to obey or they can chose to sin... and sometimes they chose to sin.

It all started when my feelings got hurt a bit this morning, not going to say by who... but my heart was a bit wounded...

It got worse when Paul and David started fighting over who was going to brush their teeth first!! Can you believe it, such a silly thing to get in a fight over; but they did, and Paul ended up having a fit on the floor. Daddy deals with it and then we brush his teeth.

Then we sit down to have our morning devotions... and Paul has another fit because David is sitting where he wants to sit!!! I am on the couch with David on one side, waiting for Paul to sit on the other... they both would have gotten to sit next to me... I just don't understand! Such silly things to have fights about... once again Paul falls out in the floor and has a fit! At this point I lost it and said to forget devotions, (which I am sure is what Satan wanted me to do) ... I tell them to go get in the van so we can go to 4K, and we all stomp off to the garage. Daddy was leaving but sees us coming out of the house and knows that something is wrong, so once again he deals with it and we head off to 4k.

After dropping them off I have time to cool down and do some thinking... Why do I let them get to me so? Why is it at times that I am so quick to fly off the handle? Why can I not put my flesh to sleep and walk in the Spirit when I need to the most? Why do I have such a hard time consciously choosing joy when I am frustrated and irritated? I desire to choose joy... Why is it at times like this that I have a hard time having the same attitude as that of Jesus Christ? I know I should do that, that was our memory verse and "theme" for the summer. I am convicted that I am not making the choices I should make either, and I definitely should know better, and I even had my quiet time this morning!!

The day got a little better. I was able to go buy groceries and get them all put away. I enjoyed meeting a young lady whom I previously mentored for lunch. My husband called unexpectedly to tell me that he loves me :)

I pick the boys up and they are happy and appear to be in good moods, but it did not last for long. I told them we need to run to Publix to pick up just a few things that Wal-Mart did not have, they were excited. They love going to Publix because they get to ride in the car buggy and they usually get a cookie. All starts off well, even when they did not get to ride in the buggy they wanted because someone grabs it right out from under us... but they were big boys and had good attitudes about it. So we find another buggy and go get their cookie... the peace does not last long (thank goodness I only needed a few items). They begin to fight because they do not want to sit next to each other, they are screaming at each other in the middle of the aisle at Publix. Everyone who walks by just looks at me with "that look" on their faces, you know that look, "Lady, can't you control your children." This is very humiliating and very embarrassing, I want to crawl into a hole and never come out. I separate them, but they continue to hit and kick at each other. I explain to them that they WILL be disciplined when we get home, and that the more they fight the more they will be disciplined, they finally quiet down. I get the rest of my items and quickly leave Publix. They will not go back with me for a LONG time...

Discipline has been administered, they are in separate rooms resting, and I am here venting...

Tonight I am going to scrapbook with some other ladies. I am definitely looking forward to being away for a while, and hopefully tomorrow will be a much better day.

The bottom line is, we all have a choice to make. We can choose to give in to the flesh and then regret it, or we can choose to surrender to the control of the Holy Spirit, and by the grace of God, respond to life's difficulties in a way that is honoring to God. Praise God that when we do give in to the flesh, and choose to sin, God is waiting to offer His forgiveness and mercy, all we have to do is confess and lay it all at His feet. I blew it today, but I have confessed, to my children, my husband, and most importantly to God, and they all have freely offered forgiveness, and I have received it!

And I have hope that tomorrow will be a much better day!