A First Time for Everything

Spencer decided he wanted to be a football player for Halloween so he borrowed some stuff from a friend. His new thing is football. He used his allowance and bought a ball. He plays outside in the yard every day and involves Jack and somehow it also involves someone being tackled and getting banged up. And his favorite team is the New England Patriots. Scott's favorite team is the Indianapolis Colts. So the game this past Sunday was a big event at our house as these two rallied against each other! Scott ate crow for dinner ...... anyway, I have a point. Last week, I was having one of those mornings with the Erica and Spencer. It seemed neither of them were in the mood for anything to say the least and it got a little tense and heated as we left for school. I dropped them off and they didn't tell me goodbye .... I think they were thinking more like "die" instead of bye but I deserved it. I wasn't exactly a leading role model at that point.

I leave school and head off to the parking lot of where I have a bible study on Wednesday. Imagine that .... I REALLY needed refreshed and renewed at this point. I was listening to music and finishing my study. The scripture was incredibly on target as usual and I felt really convicted over my attitude and inability to communicate with the kids. The cell phone rings breaking the silence and I answer it to, "Mrs. Pearce? This is Lucy (the Elementary Principal) at school and I have Spencer in the office .............." Mmmmhhhhmmmmmm....... long story short, he and another little boy hit another boy in the private and Spencer seemed to name off all the body parts he hit instead of the correct one so he was in the office for lying. The whole time, I am sitting there mmhhmming to everything as she is relating the story to me. I give her a few words as she said, "Spencer is in my office alone thinking ..." Oh, how I wish I could have been a fly on the wall as he sat there! Thinking .... we hang up and she calls back a few minutes later to tell me that he finally did tell her what happened and the truth and he was on his way to apologize to the other teacher for lying. Spencer got on the phone with me and I wish you could have heard how small his little voice was ..... in the end, I reminded Spencer of what we had been talking about already at home -- take responsibility for your actions, do not shift blame, and make it right. I reminded Spencer that we have talked about this and unfortunately for him, he was not in the privacy of his home with us to walk this lesson out. His voice still sounding very small ..... the outcome? A little 7 year old boy that learned a valuable lesson on taking responsibility for his actions and apologizing to those he has wronged. I would say that it was a total God thing that morning and I praised the Lord for His timing and goodness in all of us!

Needless to say, I went into my study blubbering like an idiot and realizing that my life isn't about the pictures I have created in my mind but about releasing those pictures and expectations and allowing the Lord to direct each of us for His honor and glory. I would like a perfect little family with perfect little children, wouldn't you? I realized again it isn't about me or what I want that makes perfection but striving for what He wants for all of us. The good and the bad :) God is faithful to those who love Him!