I can't even remember when was the last time I had a free moment to blog. I was buried in yearbook land and as of Sunday night, the order was put in, so now I can come up for air and work on my newsletter deadline for Monday!
All last week, I could only look at the covers of my books longingly. It was a horrible feeling to be so close to my books and not able to read them!!! I was feeling very cranky!!! On Monday night, I started Roger Bruner's (with Kristi Rae Bruner) Found in Translation. And tonight, I started Chasing Sunsets by Eva Marie Everson. Reading, I'm finding as I get older, is a balm for my soul. I need to read like I need to breathe.
I was experimenting with a cream puff recipe today and Michael started quoting the lines of the 7th grade skit from Open House.
Michael: "Hey girls, want to sit at the cool table?"..."Sure!"..."blah blah blah (this is me forgetting the rest of the lines)...Whatever major loser!" Gasp! Of all the things he would pick up...!
I tried explaining that the skit was about mean girls being mean and later how someone was kind to them because they were showing the love of Jesus, but he didn't care! He thought it was so funny imitating them and I have to admit, he had the tone, attitude and hand motions down to the "T!" He only saw one rehearsal and the actual skit on Open House day, but apparently, that was all he needed.
I am happy to report that our nocturnal visitor is finally letting us sleep through the night without the customary 2-3 visits per night. Sigh. I wish I could say that all the reminders made a difference and he had a repentant heart after disobeying us every night for who knows how long! The truth is that it all boils down to one word...socks. Michael LOVES his socks. The only time I can remove them is when he's taking a bath. Thankfully, socks are relatively inexpensive so he has a lot of them! I decided that instead of taking him off from electronics and snacks (those consequences didn't matter enough to keep him in bed at night), I would take his socks. I explained to him that if he made a poor choice, he would continue getting a reminder and a very poor consequence. Of course, he was interested in what the poor consequence was. When I told him he would lose his socks for the night and the whole day after, he was horrified! Removing his socks is right up there with getting brain surgery without anesthesia!!!
And even though I wish it was the Holy Spirit convicting him of his sinful heart, I am glad the "no socks all night and day" consequence is convincing him the importance of sleeping through the night!!! In the meantime, I pray that God will work in his heart (he has so much "head" knowledge) and that Michael will learn the importance of obeying God and his parents without the consequence of losing his socks...!
I think that's why 1 Thessalonians 5:17 is one of the most important verses specifically aimed for parents! The Amplified Bible puts it this way..."Be unceasing in prayer [praying perseveringly];"
