are you there, kc? it's me, God.

So apparently God is trying to tell me something, because He's bringing it up to me on a pretty regular basis. In devotions, on blogs, in books, conversation, and even on Pinterest!

Essentially the message is this: less criticizing, more encouragement. Specifically in regards to my kids.

When life gets frustrating, it's difficult to find a positive spin to put on situations. Is easy to point out how your children have failed when you are completely aggravated with them! It's much more difficult to swallow the criticism on the tip of your tongue and to find words of encouragement.

On my daily calendar (which has been on this page for 3 days) it says this: "Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." Proverbs 16:24

In a book I am reading by Pam Farrel  and her husband, Bill,  entitled "The 10 Best Decisions Every Parent Can Make," I came across a paragraph that was the perfect example of our life right now. In it they talk about choosing to be consistent in parenting and discipline even when we are exhausted or frustrated or preoccupied or angry. For me that means keeping a level head in these situations. Sometimes I forget that being a good parent comes before anything else I deem important.

In a blog that I read regularly written by Jon Acuff, today's post was about how 1 negative comment + 1000 compliments = 1 negative comment. The criticism sticks.  It practically erases all positive words you might impart. I can think of examples of this in my own life!  In the comments of this particular blog, many parents mentioned how true this is when we are dealing with our own kids.  They hear the negative, not the positive.

A quote that was posted on Pinterest this week says this:
Oh give me patience
When wee hands
Tug at me with their
Small demands
And give me gentle
And smiling eyes.
Keep my lips from hasty replies
And let not weariness,
Confusion or noise
Obscure my vision of
Life's fleeting joys.
So when, in years to come
My house is still -
No bitter memories its
Rooms may fill.

Funny how God has been whispering these things to me for the past week - He felt no need to yell at me.  My, how I must try His patience, but He never gets exasperated!  And He's got a million other things to deal with (and by million, I mean a gabillion) and yet He lovingly takes the time to point me in the right direction.  

KC