Thursday, May 22, 2008

Thunderstorms

School is so hard on kids. Or rather, kids are so hard on kids. Their mouths have no governor to stop hateful words. They lack wisdom to help guide their choices.

The dark cloud followed him home from school today, or perhaps blew into the full scale thunderstorm on the long bus ride from school to home with seventy other kids and one harried bus driver.

He slunk into the house, fire in his eyes and hurt in his heart. A wise mom won’t take it personally, but how often am I that wise?

A few words of anger were blasted toward me. Sometimes I shoot right back, other times I retreat, not knowing what to do. Today, I ignored the words and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

He shrugged it off, but I saw the cloud waver. A verse softly blew into my mind, “A gentle word turns away wrath.” Another round of cutting remarks, but I held onto that promise with gritted teeth.

I climbed onto his bed that night and lay next to him. His heart had softened and he shared his day and the hurtful things that had shredded his feelings. I comforted and consoled and was so grateful for holding my tongue when I could have lashed back.

I want to be more like my Father for whom lashing back isn't considered. Doesn't even cross that holy mind. Comfort and correction are bathed with his consuming love. A love that fulfills and never hurts.

A love I want to know more fully.

4 comments:

  1. My little guy is grown up now, but those days of coming home with hurt feelings don't seem so far in the past now, Sherri. My son has learning disabilities and like you said, kids can so often be unkind.

    I have Leah to thank for discovering your blog, and I wish you much success in your writing career, Sherri.

    cjarvis [at] bellsouth [dot] net

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  2. I have a new friend in town who just moved here a few months ago. Her oldest daughter(15) is having a great difficulty in fitting in with the other school kids. It seems she is always getting blamed for things and teased and comes home and cries often times. Her hurt is taken out on her Mom and siblings and this makes for a very unfriendly environment. I feel for everyone.

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  3. Thanks so much Carole!

    I thought again this weekend, as I watched my kids play with their cousins, how quickly time goes. So bittersweet. It's so important to be invested in the moments we have with them.

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  4. Robyn,
    I think it's especially hard when there is nothing we can do to make that pain go away for our kids. You want to wrap them up and shield them from the pain, but all we can do is love them and pray for them.

    I was asking the Lord the other day how to pray for my oldest who seems to be getting the most hurt by other kids, and I felt like God said to pray for his heart to be strengthened (so he can withstand what comes against him).

    And praying for them gives us something that we CAN do for them.

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