"You Mean!"

"You mean!" Have your children ever gone through "that stage" of sin? None of mine ever had until...Jacob. A few weeks ago this became his response anytime he got hurt, mad or frustrated...He would yell "You mean!" at whoever was standing the closest to him. On Sunday he went too far, I handed him his drink on the way out the door for church and he said..."You mean mommy!" First of all, my heart broke, but then anger arose within me because I had given him something he needed, something he wanted, something he had asked for and his response to my gift is "You mean mommy!" Well before I go any further with that train of thought I must tell you the rest of our conversation...I looked down at him and said, "Jacob, what happens when you say 'you mean' to mommy?" and his reply in a very angry tone was..."Daddy not here mommy!" WOW!  This spoke to me on so many levels. Apparently, I must be the easy, pushover of a parent if he thinks discipline will not occur when daddy is not here. Time to step up and prove this little 2 year old wrong! CONVICTION! The more I thought about this incident the more upset I became, not because my 2 year old thinks I'm a mean mommy, he'll get over it. My increasing upset state was due in part to the fact that so many times I have asked my Father for something and He, being a gracious and always good Father, gave me what I asked for, what I needed, what I wanted and my response (never verbally but in action) was "You mean God!" Why, because it didn't turn out quite like I expected. It wasn't as perfect as I had hoped. Now, we may not say "You mean God" or even think it, but we complain...this house is so small, my car is so old or I wish it had heated seats...Disney World was fun, but it didn't last long enough and the lines were too long. For some reason we are professionals when it comes to complaining. It has almost become our primary vocabulary. It's like we are afraid to thank God and walk around with an attitude of gratitude for fear that the blessings will stop. How sad must our Father feel when He blesses us with more than we ever deserved and we want more or complain about the gift? Do you think He ever feels as if we are saying "You mean, God!" Commit today to develop an attitude of gratitude.  When I am cleaning my house I say..."Thank you God for this home where we can live and serve you as a family." When I climb in my car I say..."Thank you God for blessing me beyond my imagination with this vehicle and help me to remember it will one day pass away." Learn to thank God at all times for all things. I never want my actions, attitudes or words to say to my Father..."You mean!"

Job 34:18-19 "Is it fit to say to a king, 'Thou art wicked', and to princes, ' Ye are ungodly'? How much less to Him that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor, for they all are the work of His hands." (kjv)

Philippians 2:14 "Do everything without complaining or arguing."