Reality Can Be Too Much

This is the best way for me to tell you how reality affects my life and God's grace saves me...Mr. Norman Rockwell and his ideas of life.  Mr. Rockwell was born in the late 1800's and died in 1978 when I was in the 5th grade.  His paintings adorned the homes of my grandmothers and even our own home during the holidays.  Family, Santa Clause, snow, meals at the family table, blah blah blah Norman.  You have no idea about life old man!

This for instance.  A Daughter home for Christmas to see her parents.  Perfectly dressed.  Loving husband in tow. A small gift her parents will love.  Excitement and true joy.  Here is reality Mr. Rockwell:  I may or may not have all my children home for the holidays but if I do they are poorly dressed, sleepy and starving.  They have not brought gifts for us, but they are certainly expecting some under the tree for them.  I am happy to see them and their laundry, their friends, the cars that need the oil and tires changed and empty Starbucks cups all over my house.  (half full I might add)  All that decorating and cooking and cleaning is blown to Hades in the span of two days. We do love and laugh, but the reality is we also fuss and disagree and make messes that no one but myself is capable of cleaning up. And when the confusion ends, I am left with taking down the decorations until next year, silently, with Bing Crosby playing in the background.

Here.  A doctor prepares a young man's shot.  The little one, with no mother around, willingly prepares for the shot and stands still, even getting up on a chair so the old man doesn't have to bend over to reach him.  How sweet!  I have a 23 year old who still calls her daddy or me before a shot. We have to basically pump her up for it like a prize fighter.  The thought of a needle going into her body at the age of 3 made her eligible to participate in the 100 yard dash in The Olympics.  At age 4, so as not to embarrass us and scatter all the children in the waiting room with her wailing, we had to promise trips to Toys-R-Us. Later, we bribed her with clothes to just tone down the gnashing of teeth.  You know what I learned? Nurses are magicians! I should have sent them flowers afterwards for making them work so hard.  When she turned 13 I finally felt we had it together, we didn't. Now Karma has made an appearance in her life and her job requires her to travel overseas.  She has to get so many shots!  But the reality is:  we still buy her ice cream or Starbucks afterwards.

And finally, reprimanding your child.  Way to go dad!  Set him down, have him look at you in the eyes with remorse, talk to him in a calm and even voice while regret fills his little heart.  Your calm voice hasn't even awaken the family pet under the chair while her kittens frolic about.  Good for you, good. for. you.  When my boys were in trouble (we only had trouble with our daughter at shot time) we had to sometimes physically set them in a chair. And I say "we" with abandonment because my husband rarely disciplined our children.  Maybe once, twice if I was lucky.  Those boys sat looking at me like I had three heads and one was made of liver and onions.  Arms crossed.  Eyes rolled.  Body slouched.  I was always determined to be calm and then that "you are over reacting mother" or "all of my friends..." would hit my ears and all of our family pets would scatter.  There was no regret, no sadness, I could not even threaten the age old, "wait until you daddy gets home."  Because who knew when that would be with his schedule.  And punishing them, as you know, is punishing myself.  I never gave in and I always won, but the reality is that Norman Rockwall would have never painted us.

James 4:6

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”  Some days just humble me to the point that I realize:  I cannot but God can and will!