Sticks and Stones...

"Sticks and Stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me..."

Whoever came up with that one!?!? Not only is it false for speaking out at others, but maybe more so for speaking to yourself. (outward speech and inward talk - your thoughts).

I think of myself as a pretty positive person ...speaking and being able to turn my thoughts around. ... But boy have I been blinded in the area of my children... especially my "character builder".... even more specifically homeschooling him.

It's a long battle and a daily struggle where I'm literally hanging onto a thread. I really don't know if I've daily attempted anything harder than this before. I have been failing miserably at speaking words of life to him and most of my mommy guilt stems from this. My patience is shot... And I could swear that, at times, my face is beet red and steam is coming out of my ears.

I have been praying for a long time for God to cover this area for me, but it doesn't seem to get much better. My prayers sound something like "God I cant do this. I need you. Help me change HIM." ... Could it be that my own prayers, thoughts, words are hindering my progress?!?!

My prayers NEED to be positive. I need a new prayer .. from CHANGE HIM to SHOW ME. 

Father God, Thank you for my precious boys and the opportunity you've given me to train their hearts. Thank you for always loving me even when I fail.

• Show me how to do the same - train them up and discipline in this love.
• Show me how to love and accept ALL of them the way you love and accept ALL of me.
• Show me how to allow them to be who you created them to be and not some perfect mold that "I" think they should.
• Give me the grace to change my perspective and control my anger. I recognize that changing this part of me WILL make all the difference.  

I've also recognized a few other things to:

• I have to take responsibility for my words no matter how hard or validated I feel they are
•  My words and thoughts NEED to line up with my new prayers                P-O-S-I-T-I-V-E
• Changing my words and what I speak to and over him, is the FIRST step to changing my thoughts and perspective of the situation
• When I speak of him to others, that talk MUST be positive and hopeful as well

I was recently told that, it's the "character builders" who you form the tightest bonds with later in life. I CLAIM this while I persevere, hold my tongue and take my own "time outs" to find my sanity. I will SPEAK this when change seems hopeless. I will PUSH FORWARD, and be POSITIVE in my thoughts, words and actions no matter how the outlook appears in my mind.

So WHO do you need to put this very thing into practice with?

Your Child(ren)? Spouse? Relative? Boss? Friend? Neighbor?

 Who in your life brings out some little "uncontrollable monster" at times? Where in your life is their negative talk (inwardly and outwardly) going on? Evaluate your prayer life... what area(s) are you not praying positively in? Are you hindering your own progress?
.

Give it a try... Change your words about them... See what happens!

 

Just saw this video on a tweet. How appropriately fitting! Enjoy!

http://www.stevenfurtick.com/elevation-creative/elevation-creative-i-am-loved/