Choice to be joyful...

I understand fully that it is my choice to be joyful.

My choice.

Why oh why is the choice so difficult. Why does it seem easier for some people to make lemonade from lemons than me? I call that choosing joy. I think not being pessimistic is choosing joy. I think laughing at something your child says instead of feeling indignation is choosing joy??? Is it? Is that the same thing? Yes I think sometimes it has to be. I feel that sometimes when the kids say something---even if it seems disrespectful, we should just laugh. I mean we should break the tension, have a good chuckle but of course calmly explain to the child that while this is funny it is also not the best choice of things to say.

I talked with a few friends about raising children and the fact I was learning the lesson of grace in parenting. I have such a hard time with this. I am kindof an all or nothin girl. A rule follower...if you do x, you get x. Why should sometimes they get in trouble and sometimes they see grace? How do you choose? I just know that I want to parent that way, but find it hard to know when I should.

So all this ties in together...I choose joy.

I choose sometimes to simply laugh.
I choose sometimes to discipline.
I choose sometimes to simply use the moment to teach.

I just pray that I will make the right choice with each situation.

How do you parent???