Attitudes of the heart ....

Something I think of when I think of my kiddos .... to teach them, train them, bring them up right. To help them understand how their attitudes affect every situation good or bad.

I love their attitudes when they help each other, share, play together. When my son reads to his little sister. When she tells him he's the best brother and she loves him to the moon and back.

But then we have, like everyone, the moments of bad attitudes. When she can't eat ice cream for breakfast. When he's losing the scrabbe game. When his little sister pulls the book mark out of his book.

But these are all moments I use as a mom, to learn from or to praise.

Attitudes of the heart ... continual, constant, diligent work.


However, what I don't often think about is my own attitude of the heart. How I act and react. I always try to set a good example for the kiddos, but there are many moments I fall short. I act on emotions.

This morning was ever so peaceful. The kids played, we read, we laughed. And after a lunch we all made and enjoyed together, we met up with some friends for a couple hours of swimming. I had the afternoon planned ... planned the way I wanted it .... a plan that would simply flow ...

As the afternoon got later and later and the swimming went on longer and longer ... I could see my plans unravel.

We raced home from the pool, stopping only at the gas station to ensure we made it it home. The grocery store would have to wait, as would any thoughts of dinner. With a few snacks, a sleeping girlie, and a cousin now spending the night, we hurried back out the door for my sons' guitar lesson. The air conditioning was out in the car and it was a sweltering 105 degrees. Not to mention a call from a neighbor and friend just as we got into town and the guitar lesson ... our indoor kitty had got out of the house (probably in our mad rush), and was being picked on by three neighborhood cats!

Oh, the attitudes of MY heart. I was overwhelmed, losing patience and I must admit, sulking a bit.

On the way home, a fly flew in the car window, causing the little one to freak out, so to speak. With her brothers help and failing arms, they worked together to shoe the fly out the window. The fly seemed to refuse to leave and when he finally did fly out, he flew right back in the front window.

By that point, I heard giggles from the back seat. Giggles turned to laughter. And before long we were all laughing ...

The weight had lifted ...

We got home, retreived our kitty from the neighbors who rescued him, cooled off, an had a glorious mac-n-cheese dinner in the "fort."

All is peaceful once again ... kiddos are snuggling up to me on the couch , as is our kitty.

It wasn't the kids that learned a lesson today about attitudes of the heart .... but me.

My heart is at peace ...