Rewind, PLEASE!!

Today was one of those days when I really wish that life had a rewind button. Can anyone feel my pain?! I mean, every time I turned around, someone was doing or saying something that was completely off the charts for me. I woke up to the sound of my 3 year telling me that she needed to go potty. Well, normally she would be ready and willing to do this all on her own to prove her "being big", but not today. She proceeded to throw a tantrum - kicking and screaming and the whole nine yards all because mommy said, "go get on the potty and I will come help in a minute." That was certainly a "Good Lord, it's morning" rather than "Good Morning, Lord" moment. I finally managed to compose myself after "laying hands" on my 3 year old and walk out into the family room to greet my other two children who were quietly watching cartoons. It was then that my four year old calmly informed me that she had a hole in her brand new pants that I just bought last week. I wish that I could say that I lovingly scooped her up and said "that's okay, pumpkin, we will fix it", but I didn't. I could feel my face turning all shades of red and then purple and my temperature start to rise as I proceeded to talk to her in a very loud tone. Now I know it's hard for you all to believe, but I lost all composure, and it's not even breakfast yet.

Well, the rest of the day proceeded to be just as grand with a dead battery in my car, my husband's cell phone turned off so that I couldn't get in touch with him --- or anyone else for that matter to come to my rescue, children acting just like children do when mommy is at her wit's end, and the list goes on and on and on.

This evening when I finally had time to sit and think about today (after everyone was tucked safely into bed), I realized that I probably frustrate my Lord so many times in the very same way. None of the events of my day were intentionally meant to upset me, yet they still were sources of frustration and anger. How many times do I unintentionally do something in the course of my day that grieves the Holy Spirit and thus robs me of fellowship with my Father just as the frustrating acts of my children robbed us of sweet family fellowship today. Thank God I can go to Him and ask for forgiveness, crawl right up into Him loving arms and get a big ole hug and start the next day with a clean slate.

Thank you, Father, for being such a loving daddy.