Keep it shut

I had given in to the incessant whinings for water. For a while I stood firm saying “No, with your upset stomach you need to wait to have even water.” I finally gave in though to the almost constant moans for water that I could hear in the midst of all the regular morning noises. It was thrown up almost immediately, right on the carpet. I’m sorry to say I did not just keep it shut. My mouth that is. I gave in to the temptation to let off steam by way of my mouth. It’s such a simple way to keep negativity out of my home, to just keep it shut- why is it so hard? I’m afraid I said something smart-mouthy to the effect of  “Oh, so mommy does know best after all?” Imagine that said with sarcasm along with a sigh and a look of irritation as I went to clean up. Yuck. By yuck, I mean my reaction, not the mess.

The best thing would have been to speak reassuring words to my sick child. The next best thing I could have done-since I was irritated by what seemed like an avoidable situation-would have been to keep my mouth shut. What could have been an opportunity to show love to Jonas was ruined into draining love instead. (The term “draining the love cup” comes from us reading the awesome book The 5 Love Languages of Children). Ugh. It’s worse than throw up when I don’t just keep my mouth shut. Not what I was hoping for when I wrote my 4th Mommy Resolution.

Have you noticed that when we want to learn, God gives more opportunities to do just that?

So Jonas had taken a good long nap (a sure sign that a child is really not feeling well around here). He had been up a while and begged for water again. Thinking surely the worst was behind us after that good nap, I gave him some. A bit later I noticed Jonas was lying very still on the couch again. He was watching something on my iPad. “Jonas,” I started to say “Please...” no I thought, not please, but “Jonas, you MUST not throw up on my iPad”. The words had barely left my mouth before it happened. It was like an explosion. I had no idea so much throw up could come from drinking a little water. It must have been because he tried to stop it with his hand, like trying to hold your hand right against a faucet going full force. It covered a good three-to-four foot area. Nothing that happened to be in the area-the couch & coffee table area which is the hub of our family living space-was spared: books, coloring sheets, DVDs, a basket of clean towels waiting to be folded and yes, my iPad (although he did manage to aim the explosion away from it as much as possible-valiant little man). To further complicate the situation my most capable helper was away to help watch her little cousins, the other older child was right in the middle of an all-consuming lego project and seemed to have no idea of what was happening, the toddler who had just been put down to nap was up again wanting to go potty and get a fresh diaper and the baby seemed determine to crawl right up into the mess.

Poor guy has had a rough time of it!

Maybe it was shock or maybe it was because I was already contemplating keeping my mouth shut, but this time I did. God is merciful. He gives us the desires of our hearts, desires to live in a way that is pleasing to Him. 

“Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.”  

Psalm 37:4

I’ll have many more opportunities to learn keep my mouth shut until the loving words are ready to come out. And I’m thankful for those opportunities. I really am.

"She opens her mouth with wisdom,

And on her tongue is the law of kindness."

Proverbs 31:26