First, a confession: As a mom - particularly a homeschooling one - sometimes I feel like banging my head against the wall in frustration. Then, when I am thinking at least a little bit clearly, I pause, pray and become far more pleased with my calling. And, sometimes, find new things to bang.
So, today, I am grateful for the ways God whispers to (and sometimes yells at!) me to change my attitude and my actions, reminding me to maintain an attitude of gratitude and a posture of proactive prayer and choices.
Recently, while preparing for an activity bag exchange, I thought I would take a few moments to make mini geo-boards for my children as well as the children we were exchanging with. Why I decided to do this when I had chores galore, two busy body kids and a head full of need-and-want-to-do's, I don't know. But my random focus and inability to prioritize sometimes is a sharing for another day.
So, there I was, pausing in the chaos of a day to pound push pins into an old block in some convoluted effort to let off some steam while checking something off "my list". Of course, as soon as Luke and Nina heard the hammering, they came running and, when they saw the push pins, they were all grabs! So, I started getting frustrated with them, batting their hands away and telling them they needed to wait. Then, a whisper inside my head - or was it my heart - told me, "Gee, Martianne, you are doing this for the kids. Why not with the kids?" So, frustration made way for fun as we took the activity outside, with the kids ejoying making their own versions of geoboards.
Thus, with much thanks to the guiding voice of the Holy Spirit, a potential bang-my-head against the wall moment transformed into a pleasing, productive one: I made another activity for the swap and the kids enjoyed some industrious, focused heavy work and motor skill fun.
Gee, God, whoever knew Pushpin Geoboards could be a simple solution to mounting mommy frustrations? Praise God for quiet whisperings...
To read what others are thankful for today, please visit the links at Heavenly Homemakers.
