If today was a test...

I bombed it. Bad. As in complete failure.  I asked God yesterday that my kids would be like Him.  I prayed knowing that the only way they would be like Him was if I am like Him. I prayed that I would let Jesus shine through.  I begged God that He would use me, in spite of me, to raise them to reflect the Son.  I prayed that when the pressures of motherhood were pressing in, that instead of responding with frustration and irritation, I would respond as Jesus would...patient, loving, merciful and kind.  Should have known that testing would come. And today it did.  If I had it my way, the hour from 4 PM to 5 PM would be banned from existence.  It is this hour that my kids do their best to be sure they annoy each other, scream, destroy the house I cleaned and need me for every possible thing.  It is also during this hour that I am to whip up something delicious that everyone loves.  It is at the end of this hour that Tom comes home. And while every book on being a great wife recommends that we freshen up and slap some lip-stick on for our mate, I've yet to read how they expect you to do it when it's impossible to stop time for one millisecond.  So needless to say today was no exception. It seemed they pulled out all the stops. I yelled. I threatened. I spanked.  And yet, it seemed as if I was getting no where.  The Lord brought it all around when I finally sat down to do devotions with the kids.  God is the Master of Irony.  The passage was from Ecclesiastes and Solomon summed it up best...life is full of seasons.  I know this "season" of life will soon pass but I can't let it pass as a frazzled, impatient mom if I want them to see Jesus in me.  I will one day wish my kids needed me to love on 'em, break up their fights, or just hold them.  So for now, I must be reminded that I can't do it on my own strength, but by complete reliance on Him.  Thankfully, tomorrow's a new day.  New mercies. Fresh chance to try again.  Here's praying for a better grade!