A Little Gift, or Four.
Today I was out and about with my kids, just me and the four. We were running errands with no particular time frame in mind, for once, so we took our time and took a little walk around the shopping center. We got some smoothies, where Tman made an incredible, nothing but net, slam dunk in the trash can that had the whole place in awe of his throwing abilities- unfortunately he made the shot with my car keys. After fishing those out (so gross, btw) we walked in and out of the smaller shops in the center. A watch shop, a women's tchotchkes boutique, a ceramics store and whatnot. All places where, I'm pretty sure, the owners eyes grew wide and breathes were drawn in when they saw me and my crew waltzing in. I mean really, wouldn't you sort of want to gather your finest wares and protect your valuables if you saw three little kids walking in? Um, yes.
We're working on self control around here and that means going into stores that have really pretty things right at their level, things they want to touch and shake and toss into trash cans, but instead having them use their ability to keep their hands folded or in their pockets. Yes, even Troy. Crazy right? They totally did it! I talked with them before about what a blessing it would be to the owners of the stores to have them look at their wares and compliment them, and ask to hold them even, but to show self control if told no. And they were a blessing! They absolutely blessed those people, and blessed me, and most importantly blessed the Lord. And the kids felt it too. The shop owners came out from behind their counters, smiled, two different places even gave them little treats! The adults were at ease around my kids, which doesn't happen all the time. The kids could tell they had made those people happy, and that made my kids feel so good. They were blessed too!
This is not always the case with them, as the fine employees at Target can attest to (insert video of three screaming children leaving the store because they did not get the Spiderman goggles they HAD to have or else they would never swim again.) But today was such a gift to me. Not because today they were angelic and made me proud, but because today I could see the Holy Spirit at work in them. I can have a morning that blesses people and get to say, "That was SO God!" because Lord knows it is by his grace alone that I can even consider going anywhere by myself with four little kids. He is training me how to train them and on days like these, where I see some fruit, it's as if God himself opened my eyes to four little presents sitting right in front of me and said, "Here, Sarah, I choose these special for you. I think you're really going to love them".
I am beyond thankful that I have been given four little gifts that I have the true blessing of opening little pieces of here and there for as long as the Lord allows.
**(Lots of this story was based on truths Mark and I are learning through a class called Training Hearts for Jesus. I'm sure I will be writing more about this in the future.)
We're working on self control around here and that means going into stores that have really pretty things right at their level, things they want to touch and shake and toss into trash cans, but instead having them use their ability to keep their hands folded or in their pockets. Yes, even Troy. Crazy right? They totally did it! I talked with them before about what a blessing it would be to the owners of the stores to have them look at their wares and compliment them, and ask to hold them even, but to show self control if told no. And they were a blessing! They absolutely blessed those people, and blessed me, and most importantly blessed the Lord. And the kids felt it too. The shop owners came out from behind their counters, smiled, two different places even gave them little treats! The adults were at ease around my kids, which doesn't happen all the time. The kids could tell they had made those people happy, and that made my kids feel so good. They were blessed too!
This is not always the case with them, as the fine employees at Target can attest to (insert video of three screaming children leaving the store because they did not get the Spiderman goggles they HAD to have or else they would never swim again.) But today was such a gift to me. Not because today they were angelic and made me proud, but because today I could see the Holy Spirit at work in them. I can have a morning that blesses people and get to say, "That was SO God!" because Lord knows it is by his grace alone that I can even consider going anywhere by myself with four little kids. He is training me how to train them and on days like these, where I see some fruit, it's as if God himself opened my eyes to four little presents sitting right in front of me and said, "Here, Sarah, I choose these special for you. I think you're really going to love them".
I am beyond thankful that I have been given four little gifts that I have the true blessing of opening little pieces of here and there for as long as the Lord allows.
**(Lots of this story was based on truths Mark and I are learning through a class called Training Hearts for Jesus. I'm sure I will be writing more about this in the future.)
Comments
By the way, I read your post previously on that class. Do they have materials or online things available, or can you only gain info by attending the class?