Sharing Sinful Secrets

Our computer crashed again.  The hard drives kicked us off because our version of XP decided that we need to register again... and since our code had been scraped off the bottom of my computer, we were unable to complete that transaction.  My mighty beloved utilized his skills of persuasion with Microsoft customer service--the best contradiction of terms ever because they don't service their customers--and convinced them he would be a huge pain because he planned on calling them repeatedly until they gave him a new code.  YEA, he succeeded. All that to say, being away from the computer for two days has been difficult... strange as it sounds, I actually missed being able to write.  It is a good outlet for me, apparently, and I plan to continue.

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"If I can easily discuss the shortcomings and the sins of any; if I can speak in a casual way even of a child's misdoings, then I know nothing of Calvary love." --Amy Carmichael

Now, I don't know about you, but having two children who daily misbehave and try the soul, it sometimes seems as though I am eager to explode and tell my beloved of their exploits the second he walks in the door at night.  Should I be this eager to unload myself and bare my boys' dirty laundry for public consumption, even if it is only to their father?

"Babe, Jeremiah teased his brother and he was disrespectful to me all day and then I had to run up and down the stairs a MILLION times during his nap because he refused to sleep."  Is it really necessary to have a running commentary from the entire day?  I certainly understand needing a father to be aware of his son's need for special training when it comes to treating his mother with respect and just giving that extra boost of fatherly encouragement, but how much should remain private especially when I, as the mother, have already dealt with the problem and presumably forgiven him for his sins?

I am guilty of this.  Terribly guilty.  When I have had my "H-E-double hockey-sticks" of a day, there is nothing better than being able to rid myself of that stress by sharing it all. But there also needs to be redemption for my son.  He does not deserve to have his sins dragged out after he's been told "I forgive you, I love you".  Privately speaking to my husband when the children have gone to bed maybe appropriate, but I must remember to consider my children first.  They are my fragile flowers.  They are beginning to bloom and if I put all the weight of their sins on their shoulders repeatedly after I've already, supposedly, forgiven them, they will, first, begin to not trust me and second, and most importantly, think that God continually holds their sins against them and will not forget them either.

How do you wish your children to see God?  I will tell you a secret... how you treat them is how they view God.  If you are unforgiving and angry about their sin, they will see God as unloving and mean and hateful.  If you forgive them and help them learn to talk to God after their sin and ask forgiveness of Him as well, they will begin to see that God forgives when they ask.

Please, Mothers, forgive your children and never bring it up (in front) to them again.  Forgive and love... show them the mercy God shows you.  I will also be striving toward that goal.  My children deserve it and so does God (since I am grossly misrepresenting His character when I disobey).

Until next time, love your children and give them all extra snuggles.