Give yourself grace

In my prayers last night I was struggling to explain to the Lord that my relationship with my errr 3 year old was not good. I was tired of being a grumpy mother and feeling like I was constantly disciplining her only to find her later repeating the same thing. So I went to bed hoping to get a good night sleep. BUT in reality my little five month old decided she wanted to switch the day and night around and from about 2:40am till 5:20am she was wide awake and a box full of birds. I had just recently read an article about a mother who struggled for 9 months with getting her baby to sleep through the night only to be told by a doctor that some babies just take longer and that she was in fact doing nothing wrong. The lady talked about how much she treasured the time from then on snuggling and cuddling with her baby at night time knowing that she had done everything right and that this too shall pass. So for me last night ended up being time to play and cuddle and kiss and love on my little 5 month old knowing that she is in fact a wonderful little sleeper and perhaps she just needed it. I gave her grace, after all I could do I allowed her and myself to have grace and to let things come what may and you know what after one final nurse she went off to sleep and stayed down until 8am.

However it was in these wee hours... and I know I have heard it before that the wee hours are the best for inspiration that the Lord whispered to me that I have to give my 3 year old the same grace. After all I thought isn't that what I am asking for every time I make a mistake everyday? Isn't the Lord a lot like me - asking me to please behave, to stop the curse words in my head when I drive, or those ones that slip out around the kids, or the times I don't serve even though I know its the right thing to do but how with my plate so full? Am I not asking him to accept me. So in those wee hours I realised that I need to give my 3 year old grace, to let her make some mistakes over and over and keep guiding her and leading her (much like my Heavenly Father does with me) and over time it will change. Isn't it wonderful? The power of prayer to one mother in one corner of  the globe who is struggling and he will answer you. It will probably mean work - I mean this is something I am going to have to practice at for the next several weeks but I know this is the answer for me and miss 3. So give yourself some grace, with mothering, with being a wife, with finances, with scripture study or your calling or your weight loss. Allow yourself and others room to make mistakes and see where it takes you when you are not trying to control the situation.