I’ve written about some of the exceptional experiences in my life that have made it difficult to just breathe. But what about those more common occurrences that can also make us stop in our tracks? Like when a vehicle pulls out in front of you unexpectedly. Or you receive a bill for something you don’t deserve. Or you spill your coffee. (Gasp!) And then there is the category of breathtaking moments I refer to as “uh-ohs”, (common among parents of young children). An example would be: discovering that your 2 year old daughter has poured out an entire bottle of shampoo on the carpet. (Gasp!) Meanwhile your 4 year old son has smeared Vaseline all over his bedroom walls. Because you were busy dealing with the unexpected leaky diaper from the newborn; the up-the-back, throw away the onesie, requires 7 wet wipes kind of diaper.
With each kind of breathtaking moment, we’re given the opportunity to react- either positively or negatively. We might be tempted to offer an angry gesture to the lady who just stole our parking spot. But what happens if you see her in the same store a few minutes later? (I sheepishly hid in the soup aisle.)
I’ll admit that when my 1 year old Anders curiously dumped out his older sister’s Bucket-O-Beads (5,000 to be exact) all over the hardwood floor I did not react with love and patience. I’m pretty sure I resembled a cartoon character with red face and steam coming out my ears.
Too often I didn’t do a good job handling the “uh-oh” moments with my kids. And unfortunately they were watching me. If I could go back to some of those early years of child rearing, I wish I would have done more of the following:
- Taken a picture! Because 5,000 glittering beads all over the dining room floor is actually kind of pretty. And even if you don’t think it’s funny, someone else will. Probably YOUR mom!
- Give my kid a break- Especially if their actions were unintentional.
- Give me a break- Perfection isn’t real.
Thankfully, mistakes can have a purpose: to learn from and create teachable moments. Much of the Bible is about this very concept. From the very first human created, we see people screwing up; Adam and Eve, Moses, David, Peter, and the Apostle Paul to name a few. And then God offers them grace and mercy.
Recently I wondered, “Does God really know what I go through as a Mom?” And then I realized that He most certainly does! After all, He has watched His children (billions to be exact), experience “uh-oh” moments every second of every day. He has listened to His people plead (and whine), get mad, complain, argue, and make promises they won’t keep. Except that He reacts perfectly and justifiably in every situation. This brings me comfort. I have a God that understands and has compassion and mercy. Who knows, maybe He’s been taking pictures too!