The Heart of a Child

There are so many moments of frustration as a mother of 3 and sometimes days go by and I feel like if there were any sweet moments that I must have missed them. I often struggle to stay positive and have to remind myself that they are just kids with little sin natures (just like I have  one too). Well, today I caught a couple moments worth noting.

We have mini stocking for the boys to collect money in. How they get money for their stocking is to get caught showing love to someone by helping or being nice. They'll have until December 24th and then we'll count up all the money and we will decide who we can bless with the money they earned.  So it's completely unselfish.

Well, thus far Gabriel is the only one with money earned. . . Two quarters. Early this evening I gave him a quarter for running and grabbing me a tissue for my bleeding finger (I accidentally poked myself with a ornament hook). I didn't even ask him to. He just took off running to the bathroom and returned with a tissue. I thoroughly thanked him and gave him a quarter. Before bed he said, "Mom, I would bring you your phone when you need it not because I want three quarters in my stocking but only because I love you!" what a sweet moment! I hugged him so tight and told him how much I loved to hear him say that.

Oh a different note, Judah has had lying issues off and on for a long time. A few days ago we almost bought him a "new" pair of shoes at the second hand store. He's always loved having cool shoes and clothes (much more then the other two boys have ever cared).  But the shoes didn't have a price and they wouldn't give us a price on the spot and said we'd have to come back tomorrow. Well, we were in Seattle and on our way back to Yakima. So, he didn't get the shoes. A few days ago and then again today Judah tells me that Gabriel's shoes (which he's had for a long time so they are far from new) fit him. They're 1 1/2 sizes smaller then the current shoes Judah wears so I could tell he was up to something. After a few lies I found out that Judah just wanted something different then what he had. He didn't care that Gabriel's were small or old. So, I talked to him for a while about the lying issue but then moved onto the greed and ungrateful heart I was seeing. I shared with him how there are kids all over the world including his own country of Ethiopia that have no shoes, coats, sleep on the dirt, can't go to the doctor when they're sick. And after seeing only a stone faced Judah two tears streamed down his face. Dave came in and gave Judah a piece of paper and asked him to write down everything he was thankful for. Later on after it was all over Judah said, "Mom, do you know why I was crying?" "No," I said. "Because I was thinking about all those kids who don't have anything." my heart melted. He really cared about hearing about these kids who are less fortunate. I saw a softer heart in him then I've ever seen. Sweet moment!

So, through it all I realize that being a mother is SO very important and there are moments where I can see the things I so passionately want my children to learn are sinking into the soft hearts of my sweet boys.