Cover My Six

Having Daniel gone this week has been a real eye opener to how much he and I work as a team in parenting.  I am exhausted, particularly from my little Hazel.  At three, Hazel is famous for her temper tantrums.  She screams like I have never heard a child scream before.  And she is just loud in general.  When Hazel whispers, you can hear her two rooms away.  When she talks normal, you can hear every word from another story of the house.  Hazel screams when she wants something, screams when she needs something, screams and throws herself on the floor when she's angry.  She even throws fits in the middle of the night - this is no joke.  Last night she was sleeping in bed with me, and she woke up, kicked her feet and flopped around like a fish, screaming. She sounded like she was being killed.  When I finally got her calmed down she said, "I just wanted to get up and play.  I don't want to go to sleep."  Are you kidding me??  It's 4am!!  How are you even awake enough to throw a tantrum at 4am?
Tuesday night I was especially overwhelmed with Hazel's tantrums.  I was laying in bed feeling particularly awful about my mothering skills.  What on earth have I done wrong that could produce such an easily angered child?  A child who believes that she is so deserving of everything that the smallest hint of "no" will throw her into a fit?  I decided that she gets her cues from me, and instead of yelling back at her, or becoming angry, I need to teach her in love.  And what better way to teach love than to instill the biblical truths that will make her the loving, respected, kind, happy child of God that I wish for her to be.  Laying in bed, I also decided that i wanted to begin teaching her verses, and using those verses to help her understand how she should behave.  I started to drift off as I tried to think of verses that would encourage her, not just feel like a reprimand.
The next morning was MOPS.  The original speaker was unable to attend, so one of the moms was invited to speak.  she is also the head of the children's program at our large church.  It's not that I don't believe that God is listening and cares for my every need, but I think my mouth dropped open when she said that she was going to discuss verses that could help us show our children how to grow in love. I loved what she shared!
My plan is to decoratively hang these verses in their playroom on painted cookie sheets.  When Hazel makes a good choice that applies to one of these verses, I will praise her, say the verse with her, and allow her to place a magnet on her "Good Choice Chart". (We made really cute magnets at MOPS that I think Hazel will enjoy making).  When she reaches so many magnets (I need to see first how fast she accumulates them), she will get a prize.  I'm not sure what to do about her bad behavior (ideas are welcome!).  Do I take away magnets?  Or leave the verses and magnets only for good behavior?  It still has a few kinks, but I'm excited to get it started. 
I often work to convince myself that God has things under control, big and small, but I'm always so surprised when He shows me how faithful He is.  I cried, "I'm not sure how to parent her; she's difficult!", and within 12 hours He was showing me.  It was just another assurance that He hears me, loves me, loves Hazel, and he's got our backs!

In other news, Daniel passed certification with his explosive detection dog!!! YAY!  This means that he will be deploying for certain to Afghanistan in April.  While I hate the idea of him leaving, I'm ready to get it started and over with.  We've had a few house leads back home, and are waiting for God to show us the right one and work out the details.

Here are the verses that were shared at MOPS this week:
ATTENTIVE: Prov. 4:20 - "Pay attention, my child, to what I say, listen carefully."

OBEDIENCE: Eph. 6:1 - "Children, obey your parents int he Lord, for this is right."

DILIGENCE: Prov. 10:4 - "Diligent hands bring wealth."

FORGIVENESS: Col. 3:13 - "Forgives as the Lord forgave you."

PATIENCE: Eph 4:2 - "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love".

FAITH: Hebrews 11:1 - "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see".

HONESTY: Prov. 16:13 - Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value a man who speaks the truth".

GENEROSITY: James 1:17 - "Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of lights".

THANKFULNESS: 1 Thess. 5:18 - "Give thanks in all circumstances".

PRAYERFUL: Prov. 15:8 - "The Lord delights in the prayers of His people".

SERVING: Phil 2:4 - "Each of you should look no only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others".

SELF-DISCIPLINE: 2 Tim. 1:7 - "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of love and of self-discipline".