Monday, July 21, 2014

Brush Off & Make a Plan for Next Time


Yesterday was the church picnic immediately following service. We rushed to our car, grabbed our goodies, and made our way to Pavilion #1. Honestly my flesh was tired and worn, exhausted and hot, but I knew it would be refreshing once I got there. Goodness, it was so very hot! Summer is crazy in south Florida!

As I managed with three kiddos to make my way towards the picnic tables, my oldest ran ahead. I was relieved with one less kid and perused slowly with all my garb until I got up there. But I made it. Only a few moments after getting settled, I found that my oldest had released the balloons placed as a reminder for families to know where it was. I continued on and ate my plate full of yummies, trying not to let the flies ruin my time :) 

The food was delish and the fellowship was great. We talked about life and what God was doing in the lives of others. As we got packed up and into our car, my husband approached me and shared that my oldest (struggling again) had thrown in some of the older boy's fishing gear into the pond because they wouldn't include him in their activity.

On my drive home I pondered. It seems like that is a common thread in some of my recent posts. But honestly, that is the time where kids are buckled in, settled down, watching a video, that I can really think about things uninterrupted. Anyways, I digress. But I thought about how my child must look to others. I thought about what kind of parent I am. How I am struggling to make it with my special needs child. I had a choice. I could either wallow in the struggles of the day OR I could make a plan for next month's picnic to make sure the same doesn't happen again. Although I am sure satan doesn't like that at all. He wants me to stay down and despaired - hoping I do less ministry - if my mind is occupied on my "failings" as a mom instead of the things of God.

The balloons and fishing gear are a very typical occurrence with my oldest. Struggles with him are a regular right now, in this season. But he also has really great characteristics as well, that so often get overlooked by his layers of struggles so easily seen. He loves Jesus. He loves to pray. Loves to learn new things and help others. He loves to buy others gifts with money he has earned or been given. But there still are those struggles we need to work on. 

So I have decided that with each struggle that surfaces we will try to find a solution. Weaving those amazing characteristics he has -into those conversations as we strive to find a solution for our weaknesses with others. I am not going to allow satan to win at making me feel defeated. I am going to meditate 
on Philippians 4:8....

and make a plan to succeed through our struggles. Make a list of things that could help my son overcome some of those struggles that seem so constantly to come up in his relationships with other kids. Yesterday wasn't the end. It was just the beginning. The beginning of meditating on truth and speaking it out to my son in love. Making a plan, following it through and seeing fruit in the future.

How are you doing with living out Philippians 4:8 with your kiddos? 

How did this blog speak to you today? What do you think God wants you to do about it?

1 comment:

  1. Phil 4:8 is one of the verses that I think on exhaustively!! Isn't it good to know that our God and His word is never exhausted!!

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