lent, round two

I missed Ash Wednesday services yesterday, offered for the first time at my church this year. Or maybe they have been doing it all along, and I was too dopey to notice. I'm voting for all of the above.

The school decided to give my kids back to me early, so I could suffer in style, and I said yes to many playdates. Which goes to show some of last year's Lenten season stayed with me and I'm a tad less hermit-y this year.

Hooray for progress.

With that in mind, here's what I came up with, for 2008 (drumroll optional): Less hollering at the kids and continuing to eat right and exercise. Which sounds like bad New Year's resolutions, but better late than never.

So, what's up with the yelling? Well, I could come up with some fair excuses for my bad behavior and we could coddle my inner child for her undue sadness (read: absent hubby & soaring pain + developing smart mouths all around me) but really? In the end? I'm in charge of me and lately, I've been lax; my temper short. And this leads me directly to Lenten Law #2: If I eat right and take care of myself - like a mama really should - I might try deep breathing and use calm words, before launching into Banshee Mode.

I don't know if these things really count, I'm still a newbie to the Christian calendar thing. But when I go to bed at night, and recount the times I lost it with my kids - when I blew up at the 354th time they asked me why they couldn't stay up late or why pudding isn't a suitable lunch staple or why we have to brush our teeth when there's no school today or why we didn't leave precisely at 5:30 when I said we would and the calendar said 5:30, I'm looking at you, Zack - I'm ashamed. Surely I can do better.


And gentleness has got to be good for the soul.

Comments

Daisy said…
Oh honey -- we've all been there. Good for you for seeing it; so many people do NOT see how their actions affect others. I am right there with you too -- and my five year old is now starting to sound like a parrot. I think, "Dear God why does she talk to people that way?" But then I hear myself talking to them and think "oh duh."
I've started telling Ruby to let her words be like honey so other people can taste sweet words. It's helping, a bit.

I'll be praying for you that this challenging time -- of Greg being gone so much, the prospect of moving to a new place, and the added burden of illness on your shoulders -- you would supernaturally find yourself peaceful. God promises to give us peace that passes understanding.

That's my hope for you -- something amazing that would pass all your understanding and that God would shoulder your burdens. Remember -- "come to Me, all who are weary and heavy laded and I will give you rest. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Rest.
Peace.
That's my wish for you today!
Daisy said…
Gosh, lightening will strike me.

What idiot misspells Bible verses??? Yeah, that'd be me.

"...all who are weary and heavy LADEN..."

Not laded.

:)
I'm with you on this one...definitely my biggest struggle right now. I'm hoping the eat well will help with the temper problem. In fact, I'm off to look up the symptoms of hypoglycemia or whatever it's called...
K. said…
I think this is something we can all do better with, Lisa. Good for you for recognizing it and taking steps.
Anonymous said…
First thing I did (which I actually started on TUESDAY) was give up coffee. So far so good...

I figured that 1/) its a good "detox" 2.) I can save $ on Starbucks/panera/et al and give that "treat" $ for alms 3.) maybe I will yell less if I'm not caffeinated

Yeah, yelling is a big one for me too. I think b/c when I was a kid we were so SCARED of parents (and adults in general) we didn't dare mouth off. My kid has no fear of me whatsoever(i think in part due to no corporal punishment and the "bonding" of breastfeeding!) and she has a MOUTH on her! Thankfully all her teachers tell me what a wonderful POLITE child she is.

But back to lent...

Well tonight I am going to a cool lecture about "being a missionary to our children" - I'm hoping it gives me some ideas on how to indoctrinate manners, respect, and "obey the 4th commandment" without being a yelling meanie mom.

:)
lapoflux said…
Ah Lisa... I so hear you. I am supposed to be doing the eating right to help with the lack of patience thing, but sometimes it takes patience ;-) Vicious circle.
Good luck. I have to stop myself some days and say "Wait - I'm the grown up here. I have to set a better example."
I know you aren't looking forward to moving, but I think once you've settled (not easy) you will find it so much easier having Greg home in the evenings. Marc travelled a lot when we lived in Luxembourg and moving home that ended for a while and made a huge difference. He's been in San Diego since Sunday and am I ever feeling it this afternoon... (fingers crossed he gets his connection in Chicago and can land in Ottawa - because it's SNOWING again... shocking...)
Christi said…
I guess I better get out of my yelling habit now before the real smart remarks start coming out of their mouths. I keep telling myself to just have fun with them, but oh the frustrations sometimes!
katydidnot said…
really good mom. really. and yes, those things count for lent. totally.
flutter said…
gentleness is an utter blessing for the soul.
stephanie said…
Wait a minute - yelling is not okay?

You are fabulous every time I see you parent, and your kids are delightful to have around. If you knock the blowing up down to, say, 300x I think they'll be the best offspring ever. And then I'll be jealous.

blessings*
Mrs. G. said…
Gentle is always good, but, Lisa, so is pudding. I'm with the kids on this one.
The Egel Nest said…
You are the recipient of an Egel Nest Blog award for blog eggsellence.

Come by and pick it up!

Congratulations!

Bradley
The Egel Nest
Bradley's Mom said…
Congrats on your Egel Nest Award!

Looks to me like you sure deserve it!

Linda
Daisy said…
I just awarded you the Excellent Blog award! Go check it out. http://allsquietonthehomefront.blogspot.com/2008/02/im-verklempt.html
This Girl said…
I seem to be stuck in banshee mode lately. It's one of the things that I'm working on right now too.

Popular Posts