Joy

I have been *trying* to spend a few minutes with my kids in the morning reading a Bible verse and talking about it over breakfast. It sounds idyllic… doesn’t it? Reality check: most of the time, their minds are everywhere else and their hands are all over the place and they are arguing. Sometimes things go well. Other times, not so much. And I sometimes wonder what the value in it really is when the conversation goes something like this:

Me: Michael, LISTEN TO ME, would you? Did you hear what I just said? What did I just say? Did you hear that verse I just read? Tell me what I just said because I have been asking you to listen for the last five minutes and you have been in and out of your chair ten times. So what did I just say? (mom drones on about this for a few more minutes…)

Michael: Ummmm… I don’t know.

This conversation would really make you want to learn about God wouldn’t it? Oh the irony of it all… and it’s really fun when I’m talking to them about the importance of patience and kindness while so thoroughly frustrated. I’m just being honest here. In my defense, every so often, I think something gets through…to me anyhow. I can be thick-headed sometimes and God uses my kids to teach me that.

This week we have been talking about Galatians 5:22-23 which says, “…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

On Monday morning, I asked the kids what one “fruit” they thought they could focus on that day and how they could apply it at school. After the kids answered I told them that I wanted to focus on JOY. I thought that I could be a lot more joyful around the house at times - especially at night…while putting the kids to bed…brushing teeth…cleaning up after everyone…you get the idea. I think the kids heartily agreed.

Tuesday morning, I decide to revisit the topic and ask them how they did with their task the previous day. I admitted that I did a lousy job the day before at being joyful all day long and I was going to try it again for a second day in a row. I told them that if they found me lacking in joy to let me know…not really expecting them to remember the conversation at all.

You know where this is headed…

Not 10 hours after that breakfast conversation, I am at the end of my rope with Amanda and her 20 month old antics. Why do children need to explore the world around them? Why must Amanda dump every box of crayons and markers on the floor just to hear the sound? Why does standing on the kitchen table seem like more fun than just standing on the floor? As I chase her off of yet another chair and rescue an open marker from her hand, grumbling under my breath, Samantha stops me in my tracks. She looks at me and simply says, “Joy, mom.”

I had a fleeting moment of “can I throw my firstborn out the window right about now?” But instead, I simply looked at Samantha and smiled… realizing that she was right. I have been letting these little things get in the way of joy. It’s a process and I’m learning… and I’ll give joy another try tomorrow.