MONSTER!!!!!

I have a few favorite names for my kids.  Brett most often gets pet names that aren't terribly flattering or encouraging.  My favorite nickname for Brett is, MONSTER.  If you spend any time with us it is obvious he can act like a little monster.  He is a great manipulator and watches and adjusts to take advantage of your weakness while at the very same time offering a disarming kind and sensitive sweetness.

I have a friend who calls her kids, Little Angels.  Even when they are complete brats and in need of a good spanking, she still calls them, Little Angels.  In my head I'd often think negative thoughts while plastering a smile on my face when she would react by saying, "Come here Little Angels and tell me what you are doing."  Wanting to scream, "CLEARLY THEY ARE BEING BRATS!"  is never the way to keep a friendship and so I would quietly mumble to myself.

Here's the thing, she was absolutely right to encourage them and use words of love instead of words of criticism.  I was and am foolish for constantly using words that discourage my child from being all he was created to be in this life.  Luckily, he has been blessed with teachers both in pre school and grammar school who recognize and appreciate his gifts.  When I call him MONSTER, they call him LOVER OF ALL OF GOD'S CREATION.

Mark 11:22-26

New International Version (NIV)

²² “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. ²³ “Truly^[a] I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. ²⁴ Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. ²⁵ And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” ^[26] [b]

The solution is simple.  Faith.  I must have faith that my child will eventually be who God created him to be and it will be, surprisingly, despite me.  I need to feed encouragement and praise instead of calling out his flaws.  I'm certain I would not enjoy it if people called me by my flaws.  Oh dear!!  I'm also writing this post in FAITH.  Change is hard.  I have to work to find the good when he is acting like a total turkey!

I am thankful for my MONSTER, I mean, SWEET BOY. (Day 188).  Goodnight Friends.