Day 8--Never Too Late

Do you ever have one of those days?  Days when you wished you had just stayed in bed.  Days when the responsibility of life just seems overwhelming.  Days when you don't want to go to work.  Days when the kids whine or cry incessantly and you just don't know how to respond.  Days when your toddler pushes all the right buttons over and over again. And then once more?

I've had more of these days than I want to.  The more days I have though, the fewer and further between they seem to be.

Having bad days is teaching me about redemption.

In the past when a day was just yucky I would think....tomorrow will be better.  Or....I just need to get through X and then I'll be nicer.  I'll put the babies in bed early and they'll be well rested for tomorrow.  And most often.....I need chocolate!!

I get trapped in the cycle of tradition.  We made New Year's resolution in January.  We say "tomorrow is a new day".  Who says I can't make a resolution in September (ahem) or start my day anew at 2pm?

I want today to be a new day.  I don't want to wait until tomorrow.  We aren't promised tomorrow.  And I certainly don't want my children to remember me as the Mama that was sometimes nice but who also yelled a lot and had crazy eyes.

So I've started redeeming my days.

When I have a bad day I stop.  I quickly (because honestly with toddlers who has time to do anything any other way?) evaluate what the problem is.  Is my Little Guy grumpy?  Maybe we need to skip the park and do an early naptime.  Am I grumpy?  Maybe I need to sit down and pray that God will change my attitude.  And maybe I need to nap during naptime too!

I've started redeeming my days so I don't waste them.  Sometimes I have to do it at 8 am.  Sometimes I have to do it three or four times.  It doesn't mean that day ends up perfect.  But it does mean that I stop and change my outlook on my day.  It means I hug a little longer, talk a little sweeter and try not to make the crazy eyes.

Redemption is such an important concept to teach our children.  They need to understand what it means.  They need to understand that even though we've done it all wrong and it seems like we can't get out of the mess we've made, God chose us in spite of it all.  And he loves us in spite of it all.  Even when we're grumpy.  Even when we're tired.  Even when we have the crazy eyes.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.  That whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.  John 3:16

It's hard to believe but sometimes this Little Guy and I are just grumps!