The house right next door to ours was built back in the 1930s, it survived all the tearing down and building anew that changed the landscape of our entire little town in the past 25 years when nearly all the old homes were torn down to make room for new ones.
But finally, it had to go. Too far decayed to live any longer.
So the wrecking crew came in.
The walls of our house rocked as if in an earthquake for about 3 days as the demolition took place.
My 4 year old son was mesmerized. A live Bob the Builder episode right before his eyes!
He and his trusty stuffed bulldog sidekick found the best seats to watch, from the tree house in our backyard, sat there for a long time, the two of them did.
The destruction reminded me of a verse I've reflected on often since becoming a wife and mother.
The man is the head of the household, but, oh Girls, do we ever have the power to build our houses or tear them down! And with our own hands, no one else to blame.
Our attitudes, our words, they are powerful!
Our children are watching and listening.
My 8 year old has an unlovely new habit of giving a very exaggerated sigh, a loud emptying of all his breath, when I ask him to do something he doesn't want to do. Oh, it's ugly! Definitely NOT an attitude I desire from my children!
But, do I do that, too, sometimes?
When the milk spills for the 3rd time during dinner?
When I'm standing in the 110 degree heat of the grocery store parking lot waiting on them to get out of the car while they sit in the cool of the backseat finishing up a page of the book they had to read during the 5 minute ride over?
When we get to the pool and everyone has forgotten their goggles and says, "Mom, why didn't you pack my goggles?"
Yes, I'm afraid I'm guilty.
And I need to be constantly holding my actions, my attitudes, my words up to the light, to the standard, "Am I building my home or tearing it down?"
But finally, it had to go. Too far decayed to live any longer.
So the wrecking crew came in.
The walls of our house rocked as if in an earthquake for about 3 days as the demolition took place.
My 4 year old son was mesmerized. A live Bob the Builder episode right before his eyes!
He and his trusty stuffed bulldog sidekick found the best seats to watch, from the tree house in our backyard, sat there for a long time, the two of them did.
The destruction reminded me of a verse I've reflected on often since becoming a wife and mother.
"The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish tears it down with her own hands." Prov. 14:1 NASBAnd we do, don't we Ladies?
The man is the head of the household, but, oh Girls, do we ever have the power to build our houses or tear them down! And with our own hands, no one else to blame.
Our attitudes, our words, they are powerful!
Our children are watching and listening.
My 8 year old has an unlovely new habit of giving a very exaggerated sigh, a loud emptying of all his breath, when I ask him to do something he doesn't want to do. Oh, it's ugly! Definitely NOT an attitude I desire from my children!
But, do I do that, too, sometimes?
When the milk spills for the 3rd time during dinner?
When I'm standing in the 110 degree heat of the grocery store parking lot waiting on them to get out of the car while they sit in the cool of the backseat finishing up a page of the book they had to read during the 5 minute ride over?
When we get to the pool and everyone has forgotten their goggles and says, "Mom, why didn't you pack my goggles?"
Yes, I'm afraid I'm guilty.
And I need to be constantly holding my actions, my attitudes, my words up to the light, to the standard, "Am I building my home or tearing it down?"
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Oh, whew! This hit close to home here!!! I so need to work on my attitude at the end of the day when I'm tired and worn out. :) Thanks for the post and reminder.
ReplyDeleteSo true! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI love this post! I'm very guilty of the whole exasperated sigh thing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reminder :)