Stop Stabbing Yourself In the Eye

Okay, before you call DHS, let me esplain.....

Joanna has always been a picky eater.  I have never understood why other than the fact that Sara was when she was her age.  I am not blaming her just making an observation.  Just kidding but not too much.  Seriously, I am just kidding.  Anyway, we were sitting at the table tonight with our meatloaf, peas, and fried apples.  I think that's a pretty good meal.  Joanna, however, did not.  She fiddled around and played with her dish.  She drank all her milk.  She sat and cried and screamed.  The normal temper tantrum.  Lo and behold, I look over and she has her fork by her eye.  "Stop stabbing yourself in the eye!"  She looks at me horrified at the thought and drops the fork.   Thank God!  How do you explain to the doctor, "my kid decided it was a bright idea to stab herself in the eye."  I sit here chuckling because I am sure God thinks the same things at times.  "Johnny, don't smoke that cigarette it'll kill you."  Yet, Johnny puffs away as he's driving down the road at 65 MPH with the wind in his cig. You never know what your kids will do to either amuse you or shock you.  God's thinking the same thing.

You shouldn't take a bath with your diaper on.

I guess we all have things that we should remember when taking a bath or shower in the morning. Mine is to remember to put ear plugs in so that I don't get water in my ears.  Yours might be to not put the blow dryer in the shower with you or bring your tooth brush.  Our daughter Joanna's is to remember to take off your diaper before diving in.  I was getting the girls ready for church this morning when I found myself in this reality.  I had put water into the tub and had stepped away to get their clothes and undergarments.  No sooner I walked away, Maleah jumps in.  Luckily, she's almost three now and realizes that you can't take a bath with your underwear on.  Joanna's still learning this fact of life.  She dives in with her Pamper on.  I have to say, at least we can prove that they hold more water than the other brands.  This would not be the first time and surely won't be the last.  I did find out shortly after removing the diaper that she had done her due diligence in it before I took it off.  Thankfully the wife was nearby to warn me.

It is a known fact that you should not take a bath your diaper on.  No matter what age you are in.  

It's too late to drink.

Some eyes are drawing to the whole "drink" of the title of this post.  Already, I see religious people crying out in anger because I used this title.  However, I must say, I used it.  Maleah was whining the other day and I found myself irritated at the whining.  Let's just be real people, if you have kids, you can relate.  She had already had finished up her supper and had been playing somewhere around the house.  Suddenly, she came whining.  Not just about one thing but about everything.  For a moment, I was briefly reminded that I am surrounded by the estrogen ocean.  Barbie dolls haven't been lining our halls but they were tucked safely away in the rooms of their captors.  It started.  "I want...."  The last one was "I want a drink."  My reply; "Honey, it's too late to drink."  Before the sound of "k" came out, I shot Sara a look and began to laugh.  Only in my child's confused eyes was there a straight face.  Never would I have thought I would tell my child that there was a time frame for drinking, especially in our house.  We don't drink.  There's no moral of this story.  There's not a thing that makes it any less funny.  What makes it special?  I will always have a memory of the day my kid asked me for a drink.

I Love You No Matter What.

We found ourselves this week in the midst of craziness with changes in our lives and becoming part of something great in ministry.  The change was that I wasn't home very much because of our passion play at the church.  What is neat is that though the girls couldn't be a physical part of it, they were an inspiration for me.  Have you ever told your kids that you would love them no matter what?  I find myself reminding the girls that we love them so much each and every day that we are blessed to have them on this earth.  Being the father of three, I don't know if I could be as gracious as the Almighty God who gave His son so that you and I could live in eternity with Him.  What is so crazy is that our love for our children is the same and we would give up our lives to see them have a fulfilling life of love, hope, and to see their dreams come to past.  We find ourselves saying, "no matter what you do, I love you."  Jesus exemplified that on the cross. John said it best in John 3:17 that "or God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." As you and I celebrate Easter this year, let us not forget the famous words of Jesus as He exited this world by saying "it is finished."  In essence, He told His children, "I love you no matter what." 

No, I do not want to eat your booger.....

Interesting fact.  Kids eat their boogers.  But the fact that I found funny is....they want to share it.  Sitting here at the computer a few minutes ago and Maleah told Sara, "Do you want to eat my booger?"  The art of sharing is rampant in our house as we are warding off selfishness. I have to say that this is definitely not one in my book that I want to add in the art and display of sharing.  I can't see, for some reason, the condoning of sharing of the boogers.  Yes, this is a gross fact that I have to laugh at because you never think that you have to tell your children that you don't want to share in this act of "kindness."

You will understand when you're older.

I found myself telling this my girls as I had to discipline them.  I swore I would never use this line or the one that says "this hurts me worse than it hurts you."  Surprisingly, I haven't used that one yet.  Yet, it is something I truly struggle with as a parent, the whole disciplining thing.  Somehow, the enemy loves to use it as a tool to manipulate you into thinking that you are this awful parent who deserves eternal punishment.  But I found this passage in Proverbs that puts it into prospective for me out of the New Living Translation; "Don't fail to correct your children. They won't die if you spank them."  I thank God for the chastening that He gives to us, even at the time that we don't want it (see Hebrews 12:11.)  I am sure that my children won't understand right now.  They don't get that their mother and father not only have to bring correction to them but we have to discipline.  Can we just hire someone to do this? I guess it would be wrong.  "We are to be in the image of God As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who was never disciplined?  If God doesn't discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children after all.  Since we respect our earthly fathers who disciplined us, should we not all the more cheerfully submit to the discipline of our heavenly Father and live forever?" Hebrews 12:7-9

Don't Pick The Lint From Your Sister's Toes.....

We found ourselves laughing at this simple fact.  We have to think that lint picking is somehow not good for your health nor your reputation.  But we observed, casually of course, our Maleah picking the lint from my toes the other night.  I get the whole feet washing thing but seriously.  lint picking? I wonder if this was part of the whole feet washing thing.  Jesus came into the room and told His disciples to take off their shoes.  Now picture this, the King of Kings, telling you to take off your shoes so He can clean the lint from between your toes.  You will never  see Jesus cleaning feet in the same way again, will you?  Maleah took this to heart.  She is a servant.  Through and through, she loves to serve.  She loves to take care of her sisters and her mom. It never ceases to amaze me that a little child would reflect the image of Christ in a powerful way.  Then again, I never thought I would have to tell my kids.....don't pick lint from your sister's toes.  Perhaps, we should let it go next time.