Boot Camp

This week it became even more evident that my eldest child can be stronger than I at times. I have to focus on being stronger. Yesterday, I carried him kicking and screaming out of the McDonald's--quite a scene--because he hit a child. I had reprimanded him and put him in time out and then let him go play again with the warning if I so much as saw him act like he was going to strike someone we were leaving. Well, he played nicely for a bit and then acted as if he was going to hit again and I said "Barrett Alan Tipps, that's it. We do not hit. Let's go." He ran from me screaming "no" at the top of his lungs and I had to pull him down the slide, tuck him under my arm, and gather our things and go. It was humiliating and mortifying. I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment and the penetrating stares of a full playroom. But he had to know that I meant what I said. We are now officially in boot camp. Both of us. He misbehaves. He gets a warning. If (or WHEN) he misbehaves again it leads to an immediate consequence. It is difficult, but I am already seeing the fruit. He didn't want to take a nap today, but after a gentle warning he said "yes, ma'am" and crawled right in. Thank you, Lord for small miracles.

It is a daunting task--motherhood. To train a child up in the way they should go can be very difficult. It hurts to not give them what they want. To see them cry. But it hurts even worse to see them be completely self-serving and unkind at times. It makes me feel like a failure when I witness those behaviors in my children.

I am blessed to be involved in a wonderful Bible study with some amazing women, all mothers, whom share in this learn as you go journey of parenting. We are going through The Power of a Praying Parent by Stormie Omartian. One of the things we learned in scripture is the power of prayer. There is a passage in Deuteronomy that talks about the power of one with the Lord behind them being able to chase away a thousand and the power of two can chase away ten thousand and we have all heard the passage that says when two or three are gathered in His name, He is there. What has struck us so strongly is not only the power we have in prayer, but that there is such an abundance of powers or evil out there vying for our child's attention--not just a thousand, but ten thousand or more. Also, there is the passage in 1 Peter (5:8) that warns us that "your great enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour." That someone is our children and us as parents. May we arm ourselves mightily with prayer and join together in prayer for the souls and lives of our children. I consider myself truly blessed to know such great women who join me in this quest. I am praying for a joyful attitude and a spirit of obedience for Barrett. For me I am praying for the strength to be consistent in discipline among other things.

Our church had a very patriotic service for the 4th. We stood together singing songs of our country and pledged our allegiance to our country's flag and it made me tear up as I recited "One nation under God." That seems to be becoming less and less true in our society. I mourn the fading of this principle and stronghold on which our country was founded. Then when driving home I passed a good old southern church sign that stated something to the effect of the way to make our country a better country is to make you a better you. This is what I commit now, that no matter how far this country as a whole may turn away from Him, "as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord(Joshua 24:15)." I am NOT perfect and I fail miserably each day. I am certain I will serve as a hypocrite more times that I will be able to count. But I have been convicted (with the assistance of a few disappointments in attempts at career advancement or shut doors, the shared wisdom of those who embarked on this journey before me, the trials of others and the strength of their faith during affliction, and the gift of guidance from above--I'm a slow study sometimes) that the greatest role I can serve is to serve as a godly mother to my children. That is my purpose for this season of my life.