After losing my patience yet again with the boys (honestly, due to issues not even related to them!), I asked Mac to get something for me. “Sure, Mom. I’m sorry you’re upset. Are you just frustrated?”
“Yes, Mac, I’m frustrated.”
“Sometimes, I get frustrated when I’m trying to catch crickets and I can’t get it. It makes me frustrated. Then when I get frustrated, sometimes I get mad. Then when I’m mad, I’m just sad. I don’t like being sad.”
“Yeah, that’s exactly how Mommy is feeling. I’m frustrated and that made me angry and mad at you and I shouldn’t have been. Now I’m sad that I yelled at you. I’m sorry. Do you forgive me for taking it out on you guys?”
“Yeah, Mom. I don’t want you to be sad!”
Seriously? Sometimes I’m amazed at what he comes up with?! I guess it’s just amazing to me that something simple like that from a kid can be so profound for me and what’s happening with me!
The other day, he had me thinking more. One evening this last week, it was the end of a long day of running errands and going to the pool in our crazy heat, and the family was finally all bathed and relaxing in front of a movie in my room. As I stretched out on my pillow, I said, “You know, if I had a sweet tea, this would be perfect!” Mac looked at me and said, “Going to heaven would be perfect! I can’t wait to go there.” Most days I can’t say that I long for heaven or even think of it as the perfect place to be. I’m so exhausted from the day or being with the kids or working, I don’t even think of heaven. I think of my couch…:) Anyway, nothing wrong with me enjoying my home (or even my sweet tea 🙂 ), but nice to remember that my true home will be so much greater!
*Side note: Right now Mac is consumed with learning all about heaven. He wants to know all about the mansion being built for him, where it is, what’s going on there and just how often God goes to and leaves there. The other day he informed me that God wouldn’t be at church with us on Sunday. I asked him why not and he replied, “Because he lives in heaven and our hearts!” with a ‘duh, mom’ look.