Thanks to the stomach virus, we’ve all been home together for a few days, and cabin fever has definitely set in. Attitudes are edgy, patience is a thing of the past, my daughter is dabbling with disobedience, and I am raising my voice. Too much. Too loud. Too often.
Do you ever have days like this? I want so much to hold my temper, to speak kind words in kind tones, but sometimes….
It’s days like this I stop and take stock. What’s discipline like in our home these days? How disciplined am I? Because, you see, when we start to have problems with disobedience (and see my fuse getting shorter and shorter), I generally find a few things to be true:
First, almost always, I need to be more consistent in having Bible study and prayer time each day. Almost Always. Okay…always. I need to be “made new in the attitude of” my mind….and my heart.
Second, I realize that instead of punishing promptly, I’ve started giving “warnings.” That’s the case today, and it’s got to stop. You see, first-time obedience keeps my temper cool. If the norm is that she does what I say the first time I say it, I am much more patient when she does disobey…those times turn into teaching, and we both learn.
So…
For the next few days, we’ll be working on discipline. I’ll “discipline myself for the purpose of godliness” and strive to spend more time with the One who corrects and teaches me, and together, we’ll correct and teach her because “He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.” (Proverbs 13:24)