Hey friends, and welcome to the blog!
Ah, the week is almost over. I’m so excited to head into the weekend. It’s my daughter’s birthday tomorrow, which is very exciting!
We had a good 4th of July. I’ve been harvesting vegetables and trying to find time to process them all.
Earlier this week I talked a little bit about how important it is to have a peaceful home, and how that peace usually begins within ourselves. Yesterday, I had an opportunity to put my thinking into practice!
It’s easy to be peaceful when everything is peaceful. It isn’t so easy when everything is not.
On the way home from picking up groceries yesterday, one of my children had a major meltdown. In the car, there is no escaping it! I tried to reason with my child for about fifteen minutes before deciding it would probably be best to remain quiet for the rest of the way home.
I’ve learned that while when it’s easy to raise my voice while my children are raising their voices, how does that teach them that yelling is inappropriate? In fact, it might reinforce their behavior.
As much as we’d like to change our children’s behavior, they must decide within themselves how they would like to behave. Simply requiring outward compliance does not signify a heart change! As parents, I think it’s important to realize this, and to aim to actually reach our children’s hearts.
After the meltdown, an age appropriate consequence was given and I kept my cool. I think it’s really important for all of my children to watch me model appropriate behavior if I expect them to act appropriately.
While in the moment it would have been easy for me to have lost it, I reminded myself of the importance of remaining peaceful. Did I want to tear down my home, or build it up? Do I want God to help me, or not?
The God of peace will not dwell where there is no peace.
So anyhow, that was my evening. I’m happy to report that everything went much better once we returned home. Peace was restored on all levels and bedtime went very well!
Thank you so much for stopping by today, friends!
Blessings, Nicole
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