What an idiot

You ever just have those moments where you realize what a butt-head you are. Well I have had a couple of those in the last two days. Last night Hailey was making her sandwich for her school lunch today. Erin purchased new lunch boxes for the kids that have a little plastic container for their sandwiches. Anyway Hailey was constructing her sandwich inside the container and I started worrying that if she did that she was going to make a big mess. So I instructed her to not make her sandwich in the box but to make the sandwich first and then put in in the container. This frustrated her and she and I got in a big argument where I didn't want to hear anything she had to say and just told her to do what I said.

After the crying and yelling subsided Erin came out and I explained to her the situation. She then asked me where Hailey was supposed to make her sandwich. Erin reminded me that in the past we have told them not to make them directly on the counter and we haven't wanted to dirty extra dishes in the process, so where was she supposed to make it? Last year they put their sandwiches in little baggies and used to make them on the bag first, so now what? I suddenly realized what a horses petute I was. I apologized and wondered to myself why I get so picky like that. I am continuing to work on giving the kids some breathing room and not being on their case about everything. Also I am learning that I actually do have to let my kids explain things and listen to their reasoning because they just might be right about some things.

Take for instance this morning. I saw a stack of burgers in the sink that had thawed overnight. They were warm to the touch and I was concerned that they had been forgotten about. I had remembered bringing them in the day before and so I thought I should throw them out. I tried reaching Erin on her phone to ask her but couldn't. I decided to go out and get another frozen bag of burgers and let them thaw for tonight's dinner and throw away the ones in the sink. As I was doing that Austin asked what I was doing. I told him not to worry about it and to mind his own business. He told me that he brought those burgers in for mom last night and that they were for today. I told him he had no idea what he was talking about and told him to leave me alone.

After I had put them in the garbage and taken them outside Erin calls me back and I told her what had happened. She related to me that in fact Austin did bring in those burgers just last night and that I had actually brought in a bag two nights before. She assured me that those burgers were perfectly fine and once again I felt like a real idiot. Man...what is wrong with me?! My son was right and I didn't want to listen to him, in fact I got frustrated with him. I tossed away some perfectly good food because I thought I new what I was talking about but didn't. I am suddenly realizing that I am going to have to start giving my kids a lot more credit and listen to what they are saying instead of just assuming they have no idea what they are talking about.

Make no mistake about it...there has been someone in our house that has no clue the past two days and surprisingly enough it isn't one of our kids. It is me. This has certainly been a humbling experience and a frustrating one. I know that God is going to use it to grow me and to grow my relationship with my kids. I plan on apologizing to them when we get home tonight and trust that I have not done too much damage. I am so thankful for God's grace in my life and am learning to give a little more of it myself, especially to my family. It has been hard realizing that I actually don't know everything...lol, lol.
Blessings,
Your Dreaming Pastor