On Forgiveness

Well it's Sunday again. I want to write about last Sunday. We decided to go to evening mass instead of morning mass, thinking that would work out better with our kids. Well, it didn't. Isaiah was so tired that he wanted to stretch out on the bench and go to sleep. Micah was also tired, but wanted to run up and down on the bench. Instead of struggling with them, I decided to take us all home. (Martin had an unexpected afternoon visit to a nearby community, so he missed this particular learning opportunity.)
Well during all this, I got very, very frustrated. And angry. My frustration and anger were particularly directed towards Micah. Sigh. I tried to talk with the boys about what had happened and why. They both replied, "We don't like mass. It's boring!"

After the kids were in bed I called my mom. It was very helpful to talk to her about what had happened.

Martin and I have started reading a few pages of the book "Easy to Love, Difficult to Discipline - the 7 Basic Skills for Turning Conflict into Cooperation" out loud each evening. I LOVE this book! It's great to be rereading it together. The section we read this week is about the role of misbehavior in children's development. Sigh again.

We have also started reading an evening prayer from "Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim" before we go to sleep. One part of the prayer for Sunday reads "...I ask pardon from you, O God, for any haste or lack of kindness on my part that may have been a cause of pain or separation. I bow in wonder before your love that forgives me instantly and unconditionally. In a like way, may I now pardonall who may have cuased me pain this day..."
Of course, I had to think of my two precious, challenging children.

Then, in the middle of the night, I heard Micah get up to go to the bathroom. A minute later, he was standing beside me saying "Lizzy, I brought you some water." And then he went back to his bed.