Lightbulb

Admittedly, I'm not always the brightest bulb on the tree.

Sometimes, I wonder how I can go from sweet communion with Jesus, one minute I'm asking Him to make me a patient, godly mother, the next, I'm barking orders at my kids with no grace.  Or how I can miss the obvious.  Or how I can know in my head that a certain strategy is not going to work, I see where this is going and it's not good...and yet I persist.  I hear the still, small voice and ignore it.

But somedays, God gives me something that I need for the day and I actually make the connection and follow through with the application.  WIN!

Today, I had a moment of clarity.  I'd like to share it, since they're so few and far between.  (That way, I can relive my little triumph whenever I need a boost.)

This morning, I knew the fridge was completely empty of lunch-packing food.  It's been empty all week and we've been scrounging.  I decided it would be a nice day to visit Cupcake at school for lunch.  We had some leftover soup that would be nice, hot, and very tasty if I brought it straight from home. 

While Cupcake was getting ready this morning, I was checking faceb00k.  I read this great article on children with food insecurity.  It talked about how kids who have known hunger are not sure if there will always be food.  This insecurity comes out in all sorts of behavior - hoarding, stealing, over-eating, pickiness, poor table manners, lying, etc.  The key is to understand that the food is not the issue.  The insecurity is the issue.  Work on the security.

Now Cupcake's teacher wisely has a policy of letting the kids have snacks throughout the day whenever they feel they need it.  They have a very late lunch, so I usually pack 3 snacks a day - 2 for the morning and 1 for the afternoon.

So, 30 seconds after I step away from the computer, Cupcake informs me that she took 3 clementines for a snack.  She had already packed her 3 snacks for the day.  I started in on the schpeel.

 "You don't need 6 snacks.  Three snacks are enough..."

Then I stopped.

I remembered that I just read an article about this.

The lightbulb went on.  Oh! That glorious lightbulb!  :-)

In a gentle voice, "Cupcake, are you afraid I won't come to lunch?"

Softly, her eyes not meeting mine, "Yes."

"And you were making plans in case I didn't come?"

"Yes." With a smile.

"You can take them."

"Really?"

"You bet!"

She ran off to school yippy-skippy.  We had a nice lunch.  She ate all 6 snacks.  She came home happy, ate a good dinner, and seems very relaxed and contented. 

Trust is built one lightbulb at a time.  One day the whole tree will be lit up.

Blessings to you,
Mamita