It’s Monday! I’m going to have a great week!
This week I’m shifting the focus with my kids, to try to find some peace in the house. I realize this has nothing to do with my exercise challenge, but it’s what is going on in my life and what I feel like writing about!
I’ve been driving myself (and everyone in the house) crazy the past few weeks, trying to get my kids to behave better. I’ve been obsessively noticing every infraction and internalizing each minor disagreement as my kids not respecting me. Consequently, I have felt like a failure as a parent. I’ve tried all sorts of discipline ideas but I can’t seem to get them right. To live up to my own expectations, I’d have to be Super Nanny and Dr Phil morphed into one busy mom. Needless to say, I’m constantly letting myself down, thinking I am just not good at this parenting stuff. And the sad thing is, in my effort to get some order in the house, my nurturing, loving self has apparently left the building (I don’t blame her, I wouldn’t want to stick it out either).
After crying to my husband about my frustrations, I picked up the bible for the first time in many, many months. Maybe it was a coincidence. After all, I hadn’t even read anything before the feeling of warmth and knowing came over me. Whatever it was, within minutes I had an answer. Love. Love is what is missing in my house. Not control or respect, but love.
You see, if I were to discipline my kids so well that they behaved perfectly in every situation; but I wasn’t able to show them love at the same time, I would still be failing as a mom. If I could only do ONE thing successfully as a mom, wouldn’t showing my kids love be the best? The Bible says that loving God and loving your neighbor are the greatest of all the commandments. Finally, something I know with all my heart I can do right! What a relief!
So today, I am working on just plain loving my kids. Showing them that I like to be with them, that I’m there when they are sad and that someone loves them unconditionally. I have a sneaky suspicion behavior will improve too, but even if it doesn’t, I will still feel like a good mom in the end.
Today's Workout: Wii fit - Yoga
What I liked:
1. Today was the first day in a while that I really enjoyed the workout. The Wii is just plain fun!
2. I liked that I could choose which pose I wanted and redo it as many times as I’d like
3. The Wii checks your balance when you stand on the balance board, so I was able to tell if I was putting equal weight on each foot and correct my posture while I did the exercise.
What I didn’t like:
1. The computer animation is still a bit basic so the trainer just looks weird. I’ll bet it won’t take long before Wii fit is more high tech.
Matthew 22:30: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Oh Summer... doesn't God's Word make such a difference? Comforting, directing, encouraging... better than any Parent magazine, that is for sure. So glad you went to the right place! Hope you have a very blessed Thanksgiving. xoxo Nancy
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