I'm exhausted. The Wii Fit is destined to kill me after my three year hiatus from exercising. I feel it in my back, my sides and my thighs! I've actually gotten the ranking of "Fitness Enthusiast" (boy, does the Wii have that wrong!) for some of the activities and it makes me just roll my eyes because that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!
The other day, I had to take out the trash before picking up Krista from school, so I needed Michael to get his shoes on (pronto!) and get in the car...
Me: Michael, put on your shoes and get in the car while I take out the trash, ok?
Michael: You didn't say please.
Me: Okay, please put on your shoes and get in the car. Now.
Silence. No pitter patter of little feet going into the car.
Me: Michael? What did I just say?
Michael: WWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH [insert flood of tears] You used your cranky voice and hurt my feelings!!! WWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH [insert more flood of tears]
Okay, I apologized, held him, hugged him and then explained that the cranky voice only comes out when he doesn't obey right away. Of course, if I could re-live the moment, it wouldn't have gotten that far out of hand. And a reminder would have helped. Tremendously.
We noticed Michael has been saying "I'm mad at you" when we tell him something he doesn't want to hear. So on Saturday, Jacob told him that it meant he needed a hug. So all day, he kept telling us he was "mad at us" and then we would all have to hug!
In our house, I have designated the love seat as "The Couch of Loving Kindness." When Krista and Michael are not treating each other with love, they have to go on "The Couch of Loving Kindness" and sit there, make things right with each other and hug each other until I feel that they're ready to get off. It's funny how the moment I ask them if they need to be on "The Couch of Loving Kndness" (if I see they're antagonizing one another), they immediately make things right with each other. You would think (based on their reaction and immediate change of heart) "The Couch of Loving Kindness" was a torture device made of spikes and other pokey thingys! Now that's a mystery I would love to solve!
I finally finished Kathy Herman's False Pretenses (book 1 in her new series, Secrets of Roux River Bayou) and really, really, really loved the message of grace and redemption that's woven in that suspenseful story! I admit it had a bit more suspense than I wanted (remember, I'm the suspense wimp) because of all the heart pounding moments, but it was definitely a great story! I know it's definitely the kind of story my sister and Laurie (she reads all my suspense and mystery novels) will love!!!
I'll end with a verse on the Giver of grace from the Amplified version. Psalm 84:11 says, "For the Lord God is a Sun and Shield; the Lord bestows [present] grace and favor and [future] glory (honor, splendor, and heavenly bliss)! No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly."
Got grace? Then practice extending grace to others, too.
HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!! I challenge you to invite a single mom and her kids over, someone going through a divorce or already divorced and anyone else you can think of whose heart is lonely on this day. Go ahead and make it a day about others and not just about you!!! I dare you :o) (p.s. krista, this is a good kind of dare, so it's okay!)
