A couple of weeks ago - it was a Wednesday - Cassidy, Lily, and I attended Cassidy's weekly Ready to Learn class. After class, as has become our routine, we headed to Kroger to do some grocery shopping. Typically the girls are fairly well-behaved - Lily rides in the stroller and Cassidy rides in the cart (P.S. If you need a good weight/strength training routine, just borrow a toddler and a baby and cart them around a few times a week! :) ) - and I entertain them with toys or snacks.
On this particular excursion - perhaps because they were more tired or hungry than usual - at almost precisely the same moment my girls decided they were done shopping and had major meltdowns in the middle of the bread isle. Cassidy sobbed and dramatically repeated "I'm so hungry!" - I'm sure my fellow shoppers thought I was starving her - while Lily let out red-faced screams with crocodile tears rolling down her cheeks. Needless to say, this put the shopping trip into overdrive and as fast as I could push and pull the stroller and cart, we grabbed the last of the necessities and got the heck out of there! (I'm sure everyone in the store was glad to see us go!)
The girls calmed down in the car, but the tantrums soon began again at home when I had to unload and unpack the groceries before I could even begin to make lunch. I flew around the kitchen, slapping some PB&J together as quickly as I could (and somewhere in there I tried to nurse Lily), but by the time the food was on the table it was too late and the crying and complaining continued as we sat down to eat. I consider myself a fairly patient person, especially when it comes to my girls, but by this point my frustration was reaching the overflow level.
Can't they see that I am trying my best? I think. Can't they just be a LITTLE bit patient?? Does anyone care that I am tired and hungry too??? Well, no, no and NO. They are little and they just don't understand anything except what they want and need in this exact moment.
As I am having this conversation silently with myself and trying not to lose my temper, I look up and huge snowflakes are flying past our kitchen windows. In an instant all my frustration fades away and I am captivated by the beauty of this unexpected moment. "Look girls, it's snowing!" They turn and the crying ceases. I even see a hint of a smile on Cassidy's face.
In this moment, I am reminded of Colossians 3:15, "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body and be ye thankful." After about 30 seconds the girls start to fuss again, but I am unaffected. As I tend to the girls, I am calm and relaxed...I am at peace. I continue to watch the snow fall and quietly thank God for the beautiful display of nature I witnessed...one that gave me the opportunity to take a breath, renew my mind, and allow the peace of God to rule in my heart once more.
1 comment:
It never ceases to amaze me that God is so Good and uses the simplest of things to remind us of His unfailing love! What a beautiful story! I am so glad you blogged about it!
Love you guys!
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