Getting Grace...teaching them about it

Today on facebook I read an article about a Dad who mistreated his child in public and a blogger who was angry enough to write a 3 page entry about the subject of "breaking your child". It made me sad. Not just the part about the mistreatment of children(tho that makes me very very sad) but because-well-I guess what it boils down to is That I believe in Grace. Grace given to us by God when we are at our worst and Grace extended by us to those around us when they are at theirs.

I hate when I make mistakes in parenting. When I yell at Owen or become frustrated with Henry I feel horrible. I hate when those things happen...but happen they do. Sometimes they even happen in public. I wish I were perfect and that I didn't ever feel the sinful need to be selfish and want things my way. I wish I never thought that my needs were more important than my kids needs and that I alwys was able to parent out of love... but that just isn't me...and it isn't you either regardless of what you may think. Not many of us can say that we have never had a terrible sinful moment where in anger we sinfully parented our children. I know I cant at least...

I also know that by the power that raised Christ from the dead I am able to obtain forgiveness when I sin against my children. I ask the Lord to forgive me then I ask my child to forgive me. Then I use the whole mess to teach my willing, eager sponges about the most beautiful gift we are all given...Grace. I tell Owen all the time that I need Jesus too. That I also have a hard time with my attitude and that I need God to forgive me and renew a right spirit within me. I tell him that God is faithful and that he shows his children mercy when we ask forgiveness and that he gives us Grace for free as a gift. I teach him these things after I sin against him so that he can see Christs redemptive work in my heart and life and so when it comes time for him to get some Grace he will know how to ask for the same. So he will understand that God will not disappoint. So that he too can know that God does truly make beautiful things out of us...that He even uses our sin to show us His love, His power, and His Grace. How amazing is that?

So if you see me in the store check-out yelling at my children(oh how I hope you never will) please stop and pray for me...that I will realize my sin quickly and repent even faster...get the Grace I need to survive...and please everyone lets give each-other a tiny fraction of the Grace God gives us and try not to judge to harshly. Just so you know MG tells me this all the time... as I too often forget to give others the Grace I so dearly love

And from His fullness we have all received grace upon grace
John 1:16


For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified by His Grace as a gift, through the redemption the is Christ Jesus, 
Romans 3:23-24