A Child's Need For Love
My husband took us out for ice cream at Dairy Queen. On the trip there, my middle child, started making a noise - "Ahh." My oldest child said, "Stop it." So it started back and forth: "ahh," "stop it," "ahh," "stop it," "ahh," "stop it" until my oldest hurls her baby doll across the van toward her brother to show him that she meant business. Needless to say that her father was so angry at her that he told her that she was in so much trouble and she probably wouldn't be getting any ice cream. Of course that led to many tears and sobs. After we were parked in the Dairy Queen parking lot, Daddy talked to her about what happened and why it was wrong. He told her that she could have ice cream, but she would have to apologize to her brother for hurling her baby doll at him. Her brother's response? - "Don't worry I still love you." That got me, I can still hear him saying that, I wish I could hold on to that forever. BUT that is not what my story is about. What I can't get over is how my daughter clung to her daddy after being reprimanded. She insisted that he sit next to her at the table while we ate our ice cream. She had a need to be reassured that she was loved and back in her daddy's good graces.
I should be going to bed, but I wonder if that is how I am with my Heavenly Father. Doing wrong, having to bear the consequence, and then running to my Heavenly Father for his grace. I think I understand love and grace more because I have an earthly father to show me and I am so grateful that my children also have a model in their father of love and grace.
I should be going to bed, but I wonder if that is how I am with my Heavenly Father. Doing wrong, having to bear the consequence, and then running to my Heavenly Father for his grace. I think I understand love and grace more because I have an earthly father to show me and I am so grateful that my children also have a model in their father of love and grace.
4 comments:
I wonder if the middle child has any responsibility in this? could it be?
--Husker Red
Rebecca, this would make a great devotional!
--Hawkeye Gold
Dear Husker Red,
I know that my middle child had some responsibility in this. He probably got away scott-free (what does that mean anyway?) BUT Daddy was so upset with the doll throwing incident that what my 3 year old did to start it was all quite forgotten. The doll came very close to hitting his door and I think that it startled him - I know it startled me. Just wondering Husker Red, what would you have done?
Probably the same thing because I am a "reactive" kind of guy. I guess I would make a mental note of this dynamic as to how often it occurs and deal with middle son if it becomes problematic. Older daughter does need to learn how to deal with her emotions in these situations too. You all did good.
--HR
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