Don't you hate when you jump the gun....

Matt was playing Wii. I asked him to finish a chore, he got up with a great attitude and commenced working on the chore. Emily must have sat down at the Wii and began playing. Matt shouted "Hey Emily". I stopped him and asked why was he yelling. He went on to tell me how Emily had taken over his game... blah, blah, blah.

I get so frustrated over this. {{{sigh}}}

I know I did it when I was a kid-- so sorry MOM!

Anyhoo- I began to speak to him, AGAIN, about attitudes and loving PEOPLE over THINGS. We talk alot about this with Matt. He is so sweet and so kind but also so selfish.. the most selfish of all three kids. So we deal with this heart issue a lot.

all. the. time.

So we were just talking and discussing... I could see his hardened heart was not hearing me... I stopped and said a quick prayer for the right words.

Tactic change.

I asked him if he knew that being a blessing to others, and thinking of others was what TRULY  gave you the greatest happiness? He blinked and I KNEW he was thinking... I am happy just doing my own thing!
 I mean and we ARE--- until we TRULY bless others and think of others first and we began to understand that the HAPPINESS we felt doing our own thing doesn't even compare to the happiness we feel by blessing and putting others first!

I related it to A Christmas Carol, I asked him if Scrooge was happy when he was only thinking of himself-- yes... he FELT HAPPY. But what happened when he really began thinking of others.. HE discovered TRUE happiness and he was blessed beyond measure! Matt's little face registered understanding... I saw the chunks of hardened heart falling down around his feet and my heart breathed a sigh of relief. I gave him a hug and walked away....

Later, when realizing that the chore STILL wasn't done I called him to me. I asked why (not in the nicest way because of frustration) why his chore was not finished.

He answered.. I got distracted when you talked to me.

I immediately jumped on him... the reason he didn't do his chore was because I stopped to correct him.. blah, blah, blah! I was REACTING badly. I don't mean yelling or screaming I just simply mean handling it badly!

He replied that he had gone outside to think about what I said.

HEART PLUMMET.

When Matt tells you he has taken time to think on something.. HE HAS. He took to heart what I was saying... from experience I even think he must have spent time with God talking about the situation and asking HIM to help him be less selfish.

I felt so bad. I don't mean that the chores SHOULDN'T be done but if I had just waited. If I had just left it alone. If I had just.... SOMETHING.

Anyway... I felt bad. It is NOT all about chores being done. I need ears to hear and eyes to see.. GOD please allow me to SEE the work inside my CHILDREN.. May I not be noisy gong or loud cymbal but let me see YOU working in them and have words to edify and lift up, words to encourage and strengthen.

I said not another word about the chore which he went about doing.

He was so kind and selfless all evening long... sweet, giving and thoughtful.

God thank you for working in his heart.. thank you for giving me words to speak...