an angel kiss

The kids, mostly the middle two, are having a bit of a hard time. They don't say it so much, but I see it in the rawness of their emotions. Both are much more prone to tears over much less. It has been difficult to know how to parent. We want to be more sensitive to them because of what they are going through, but at the same time, still hold them to a level of responsibility for their behavior. We have been prayerful and of course, God is faithful. I feel like He has given us wisdom and some degree of patience - but believe me, we still need much, much more. I am trying to learn to fully surrender all parenting moves over to the Only Wise God.

Now for our youngest. She really seems to be her normal self. The problem is that her normal self is very difficult. She has been going through a stage - a very, very long stage. I say stage because that is parenting lingo, it is what everyone keeps telling us, and it has been true with the first three. This stage, however, has already been two years in the works and since we still haven't figured out how to deal with this stage, it has seemed much, much longer.

I think people want to run and hide when they see her coming.

Maybe that's just me.

Okay - I'm kidding. I love her to pieces and she does have some bright smiley moments.

One day in Costa Rica, my wonderful and wise-in-the-things-of-the-Lord friend Linda told me a story. Her and her husband were driving and it had been a rather sucky day. I believe there was rain, maybe even a terrible thunder storm, with deep haunting music in the background.... don't remember. Anyway, there was a spot on the windshield, right in the middle of her vision. She decided to focus on that spot and use it as a reminder of God and His goodness.

I probably messed up her story somewhat, but the point is, that later that day, God used her story to show me something about my "baby".

My baby girl has a very small freckle a little below the corner of her right eye. You can see it in the picture... the one posted above with her little rascally smirk. When I am talking to her - whether in play or in discipline, I see that freckle. I have declared it an angle kiss. God is using that freckle, just as He used the spot on Linda's windshield, to remind me of Himself and His goodness. If I am extremely frustrated with her, God uses that freckle to remind me of how thankful I am for this precious child. He slows me down and reminds me to pray for wisdom in dealing with her. He reminds me how often I blatantly disobey Him, and how loving and patient He is with me. And I need to be the same with her.

He is so good. The Ultimate Parent. The Ultimate Example.

My biggest problem is when I can only see the left side of her cute little face....