The Frustration Circle -

Sometimes by Friday, we want easy,right?

Monday, we may feel as if we can tackle anything, but by Friday, our menu plan has fizzled to peanut butter sandwiches, the character traits we are working on in ourselves and our children seem to flare up anew and we are tired. It seems as if we are facing the same offenses over and and over. It’s hard work to keep forgiving.

Why is it difficult to forgive the for the same offense of a child over and over again?
I have two theories:1. We blame ourselves for the child not changing, i.e. -the inability to control the child
2. Sin is difficult to watch, it causes us to want to look away or to react

Let’s look at theory number one today. Parents, especially homeschooling Moms, judge their success on the out put of their children. Well-mannered, well-educated, well-dressed children mean Mom is doing a great job. Slovenly, wicked, unlearned children mean Mom is doing a terrible job. Right?

Does it? Can a human truly control another? Are homeschoolers supposed to obedient, line up wearing khaki pants and izod polos, giving unified, well-mannered answers? Should they line up and do the duck march too? Wait, did I go too far? Homeschooling doesn’t produce perfect people. Every child has a choice. Choice belongs to each human, God gave it to him.

If you think you are having problems with your children, look at God’s early family. Adam and Eve disobeyed, lied, hid themselves and played the blame game. Did God forgive them? Yes, afterwards, he handed out some serious consequences that we are still reaping. Adam and Eve didn’t fare so well either. Their son Cain murdered his brother Abel. You think disputes are bad in your household? Think about this historical fact, meditate on it. That spat about who was going to do the dishes or finish a math worksheet kind of pales in comparison, right?

A parent’s job is to train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6) When a child matures he will follow the godly training he has been given, it might be when he is five or thirty-five. It is up to him.

So, keep training, keep teaching, keep praying, keep the faith that even if your child is causing you frustration right now, he will go in the way of the Lord and not depart from it!