It was another hot and stuffy day. I had to babysit my sister's kids and my little boy. I also had some errands to run. So I had to pack all the three kids in their car seats and I headed towards the mall.
A car filled with kids is equal to a wild hurricane. I was kind of losing it; the screaming (they were singing joyously - but my bad day made it sound like screams) by the kids was giving me a headache. All I could say was, "PLEASE BE QUIET" - but they were just enjoying their day out, fascinated with the ability to scream.
My irritation, restlessness, and routine life just got a hold of me. I didn't know what to do, so I said, "That's it! Everybody out! I am going to leave all three of you on the roadside and go home. You are too much to handle."
There was absolute pin drop silence in the car. I felt guilty for a minute. My 4-year old son, David, looked at me and said, "Mom! Aren't we gifts from Jesus to you? Why would you want to leave us on the road?"
My anger just disappeared and I started laughing. His sentence was so profound that I could only laugh, even though the truth brought tears in my eyes. How could I have been so grouchy? The kids started laughing and after that their screams - which I guess is normal with kids, was music to my ears.
When I took them for a stroll in the mall, a lady came up to me and said, "I wish I was in your shoes. It's been 12 years since I got married and I don't have kids." I had an opportunity to pray with her and minister to her.
Kids are a blessing from the Lord. Disciplining them and bringing them up in the Lord is a responsibility laid upon each parent, but taking time to enjoy with them everyday, even amidst our problems, is really worth it....!!!!
It's nice to be in kids shoes too......we can learn from them to have fun even on a hot stuffy day.
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