JOYfully Patient

     Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Children love to drink it!!

    In my latest book, I tell the story of trying to study my Sunday School lesson one day while my young children were playing in the next room.   I had hardly begun to study when the first interruption came, and then the next and the next. Exasperated, I raised my voice and said, “I want you to go play and let me study!  The next one that interrupts is going to be in big trouble!” 

     They dropped their little heads and started out of the room.  But before they were completely out of sight, one turned around and innocently asked, “What’s your Sunday School lesson about this week, Mommy?”

      “It’s about PATIENCE!!!  Now, go play!”  No sooner than the words were out of my mouth, I realized that God was speaking through my precious children and teaching ME a lesson!  Was I demonstrating the patience and grace to my children that I was going to teach others about on Sunday? NO!  I thought about all the times that God had been patient with ME…..and here I was, not willing to do the same for my very own children who were gifts from God.

            It was at that point that I closed my study materials until after my children were asleep; and I joined them for some “mommy time”!  I was reminded of the verse in Psalm 127: 3 that says: "Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward (a gift) from him."  Parents, let’s remember that spending quality time with our children speaks volumes…brings JOY to the Lord.

            Serve that JOY JUICE to your children generously.  Be a consistent, shining example of His love and  JOY!