What My Boys Teach Me About Getting Back on the Horse

what my boys teach me about getting back on the horse

It’s been a bit of a rough start to the week. 

  • The weather went from 50 degrees to below zero wind chills.
  • There are birds living in our bathroom light upstairs.
  • I somehow slept on my back wrong and have shooting pain that makes it difficult to move or inhale.
  • The boys have been extra competitive/aggressive/argumentative.

Alexander’s Mom was right.  There are days like these… even in Australia.

Last night I was parenting from the recliner. Frustrated by my pain;  Exhausted with the refereeing. My patience was run too thin, and my flesh was winning over my self-control.

I raised my voice yelled on two occasions during the bedtime/clean-up shenanigans. I hate yelling. 

Tucking them in I apologized for my anger and impatience with tears of regret in my eyes.  And instead of them holding a grudge or paying me back in revenge, you know how they responded?

“That’s okay, Mama.  You’re just not feeling good because your back hurts. We understand. You’ll feel better tomorrow.”

GULP.

Count the losses. Do not return evil for evil. Ask for forgiveness. Seek humility. Resolve to do better. 

Get back on the horse.

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,  I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Phil 3: 12-14

Oh these boys and the ways they teach me about love, forgiveness, perseverance, and understanding!

Perhaps, you’ve been “bucked off” your motherhood horse this week too.  It’s hard not to roll in the dust of regret and defeat.  Failure has its way of keeping us grounded, but don’t let it trample you.  Allow the mistakes and the ugly spills to teach you forgiveness, perseverance, and how to better extend grace to others this week.