Repetitive Noise Makes Me Crazy

My children hear that phrase often. Especially on the weeks when Chris is sleeping during the day. Four loud kids, hardwood floors, and a day sleeper - great combination.

Today has been a hard day. Have you ever read the book : Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day? Well that was Gracie today. She was contrary which made every one around her grumpy. Suffice it to say, there was lots of yelling and crying today. Ty took great pleasure in excluding her which of course made her worse.

Then the later in the day it got, the louder everyone got. Which is bad because Chris is asleep. And it's raining. They can't go outside. Maggie keeps running up and down the hall. Gracie is, of course, crying and hitting. Ty is just a loud talker and his sound effects are even louder. Brody loves to push things up and down the hallway. In one hour, I have taken away his Thomas push train, a big firetruck, a Barbie car, a musical train, a shopping buggy, a laundry basket, and a Fisher-Price school bus. The fact that I haven't broken his legs is proof of the Holy Spirit.

What do I learn from loud, inappropriate, repetitive noise? Other than bedtime is the best time of the day, of course. That's a given. It is... being a Mother requires creativity and selflessness. On occasions like this, I must put aside whatever is on my agenda at the moment and love my children. Which is hard sometimes because (I know this will shock some of you) I am a very selfish person. I want what I want when I want it. *Hey wait a minute, that sounds just like my kids.* So what enables me to leave a dirty kitchen that I actually feel motivated to clean to read a book to them or play a game with them?

Well, it's not the parenting spot on the Today show or the James Dobson book I read. It's knowing that God did the same thing for me. I was whining and complaining, hitting and kicking, yelling and crying. And yet he loved me. Desired me. Sought me out. Made me righteous. Made me His daughter. He came down and entered into my life. Called me into relationship with Him, the God of the Universe. When I'm having a bad day, He will stop and pull me into His lap and whisper "No matter what... I love you." And that makes it all okay. Being His daughter is who I am now. It defines me. Knowing that frees me to do the same with my wild ones. Noisy and sticky and contrary though they may be. I'm one of them.