I was there. I saw it with my own eyes. I stared in awe and wonder. I must admit I was jealous, any parent, even a veteran parent would be somewhat jealous. I witnessed the power of the parent finger actually work. Let me explain.
We sit in the left side of the balcony at church. One of my daughter's friends (whose family sits on the right side of the lower level) came to sit with her last Sunday. The pastor was at a pivotal and volume elevated portion of the worship service. This is when the phenomenon happened: my daughter's friend left her seat and stepped down the steps. I did not know what to do. My thought was to let her go but her mother's (downstairs on the other side of the church) thought was different than mine. The child looked at mother and without emotion and great confidence the mother low and powerfully shook her finger. The child stopped dead in her tracks and put it in reverse. "That did not just happen," I said to myself. I was truly awestruck! I watched effective parenting in action and it blew my mind.
Now I girls, you can tell I have made this story "full." But the truth is I was envious. As I mentioned in my last post (my last, a long time ago post) we are facing some parenting challenges. We are in a reaping season right now. The only problem is that we did sow the right things into our son and now are seeing the fruit of our labor is not exactly what we had hoped for.
After seeking and listening to the Lord I have accepted His forgiveness for not doing right by my boy when he was younger. Now, friends of mine might jump to my defense and post that I am a good mother. I am not saying that I have not been a good mother. I am saying that God through His grace is giving me a second chance to right some wrongs before it is too late.
He is walking with me, giving me the confidence, and patience (most days) that I need. We are taking responsibility for our mistakes and life as he knew it is changing for our son. Oh, he is a wonderful, energetic, fun, funny, boy with a servant's heart like our Lord.
The Lord demonstrated to me through my friend's "powerful parenting finger" some key points that I needed to hear. I love that He never wastes an opportunity to reach out to us right where we are, to meet our immediate need even if it in the balcony of a church during a pivotal and volume elevated portion of a worship service.
He speaks to us girls! Isn't' that amazing? When was the last time the God of the Universe paused time to meet you and left you awestruck?
4 Comments:
Yup, you are right; God does speak to us. We just have to be listening. Or more acurately put, we must be willing to hear Him!
He spoke to me recently during a painting project that I have been working on. I posted the story on my blog. I am so grateful that God can take a seemingly mundane task or event in life and use it for a teaching moment. And, we never know what the ripple effect of those moments may bring about.
God is AWESOME!
The power of motherhood is greater than we realize. Sometimes, all you gotta do is look at them in certain ways and they will just stop. Sometimes, it takes a little more than the stare. Nevertheless, God has granted us authority over our children. The problem is are we listening?
The last time He spoke to me was yesterday in the bathroom at church...I was taking a potty break during women's Bible Study and He just happened to bring about a verse that was on one of our pages..."Train up a child in the way...and He asked me, "Nichole what does that verse mean to you?" and I responded...'well it means that you want me to train up my boys in your love and grace'...and He said "yes, but it also means that you, Nichole, are my child and I want to train you up!" I was hollering in excitement and love in that bathroom yesterday. I am His child and He wants to train me up!! Does it get any better?
I love to hear from my Daddy.
Wendy I am praying right now for you...one mom praying for another mom...when you go to Him and tell Him.."this mommy business...it's hard and I need some help!" He is right there ready to give you the patience, the grace, the love, the encouraging words.
Love to you!
Hi Wendy,
Its Pamela from over at Pinkshoelady. I am so amazed at what God has done since our first meeting at She Speaks 2007.
I loved this post. Your friend is like my mom, only my mom did not have to lift a finger to stop us in our teacks! It was one eyebrow!
That was all it took! When that eyebrow went up you immediatly froze!
My daughter, Zoie, experienced the eyebrow the other day when she was with my mom and another lady. Zoie was about to say something my mom did not want this other lady to know. They were in the car and mom looked at Zoie with that one raised eyebrow...here is Zoie's words. "I knew not to say nothing else mom! You should'a seen it! She almost looked at me cross-eyed! Whew!"
Now, my mom is the sweetest woman and no one ever found out what happened if you didn't obey the eyebrow!
I too wish I could obey God as well as I obeyed the eyebrow!
Thanks this gave me a lot to think about!
Pamela
Post a Comment
Home