Pure Joy!

For the most part, our girls enjoy each other. They can always make one other giggle, they share their toys, they share a bedroom, they have fun participating in many of the same activities... they aren't simply sisters, they are friends. All that being said, our girls are also sinners, just like me and you. Sometimes I feel like we're training and disciplining for the same 'offenses' over and over again. But then, there are those moments of pure joy in parenting! I have to share what happened one night last week, right before bedtime. Our bedtime routine consists of putting on jammies, potty time, brushing teeth, Bible story, prayers, and lots of kisses and hugs. Some nights this routine works beautifully and other nights there is, well, drama. Silly things, like someone's favorite jammies are in the dirty laundry, someone wanted to squirt their own toothpaste, etc, etc. We were having one of 'those' nights and I was pooped. It had been a long day for all of us and I knew as soon as the girls hit the pillow, they would be fast asleep. The problem was getting them to their pillows. wink. So, as we trodded through the bedtime routine, things began to esculate. One little girl antagonized her sister, which caused her sister to retaliate, and soon two little girls were crying. (For the record, I was about to cry too... hormones, I tell ya! ) Bella retreated up to her top bunk and Wubs crawled into her bed while I went to retrieve some books from the library basket. Then the most amazing thing happened!!! Completely unprompted by mommy, Bella crawled down from her bed, still sniffling, and said, "Wubs, I am sorry I hurt you." Then Wubs, still wiping tears replied, "I forgive you." PURE JOY! I was so excited I could have popped with pure joy!!! After time and time again of practicing apologies, asking for forgiveness, and working on forgiving others- it happened! It happened when I least expected it and I had to rejoice! I squealed with praises for the girls, smothered them in sugars, danced a silly dance, and hugged our babies! It's worth it. Every trial, every challenge, every teachable moment- even the ones that seem to be mundane... it's worth it. wink. "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right."- Ephesians 6:1