The First Lie
Psalm 51 says that we are all born into sin. It's in our hearts from the very start. This is unfortunate for us, since we all know that sin reaps nasty consequences. Sometimes they arent as severe, while other times homes are broken, lives are taken, and hearts are shattered. Take the little white lie for example. Not super harmful, but its also not the truth. Move on to a regular lie (you know, because there are differing degrees of lying) and the sting is a little more harsh. Not only do lies make you feel "sad" or "a little scared" inside (words we've tried to use to describe the way sin feels to our girls - because it really is difficult to describe to tiny people), but they hurt people around you. The person you lie to feels betrayed. They feel sad... and a little scared because they know where lies can lead.
Tonight, I experienced my very first lie from my sweet precious first born daughter. I know that kid is a sinner and that she isnt perfect, but she comes close on most days. I've blogged about her a thousand times over, but she is a pleaser - she likes for us to be proud of her and happy with her. She likes doing a good job. She doesnt like getting in trouble and is incredibly easy to correct. Granted she is still a human and sometimes her will trumps all of these things. #shegetsitfromhermama
But ultimately: she's an amazing kid and we have been SO blessed by her. Her sister is the total opposite, but more on that later...
So: If you follow me on Facebook you saw that last week Emery took a dry erase marker to our 3rd bedroom. She drew on the entire perimeter of the air mattress that was set up for a potential overnight guest, down the chair, the wall, MY DYSON, the window, our dumbbells, the wall again, the outlet covers, the mirrors, the yoga mat.... pretty much covered each surface with some type of beautiful semi-permanent green art work. It took me a few hours to notice, but when I did she was reprimanded pretty seriously (a stern "talking to") - it was pretty cute because of the seriousness in my face and voice, she wasn't quite sure what to do. She kept kissing me and trying to comfort me because she couldnt quite process what to do with the emotion. It took all that I had not to burst out laughing at her cuteness!
Fast forward to a few days ago: Steven built an AMAZING bed for the girls, which i hope to share in a later post. When i was in the upper bunk where Annie sleeps, I noticed there were little pen scribbles all. over. the walls. of. this. bed. Down the side, down the steps... all over the place.
I asked Annie who did that and she said that Emery did. Considering what happened last week, it only made sense. But then yesterday I noticed something that I hadnt seen the day before....
Emery is only 2.4 years old, and does not yet possess the skills to write letters. I pointed this out to Annie and asked her if she did it. On Mondays their friends Abigail and Hannah come over to play while their parents knock out some work (they are an amazing real estate team....if you need a realtor...). So: I asked Annie if she drew on her bed and she again told me Emery did it. I reminded her that Emery did not know how to write and could definitely not write a letter A. Her response, "Oh, then maybe Abigail did it." (The girls do love playing in the bunk beds....). I asked her two more times and she stuck with her story. I told her I believed her and we talked about the importance of telling the truth. Mama intuition told me that Abigail did not do this....
Fast forward to today. I worked hard scrubbing the damage out of the 3rd bedroom (THANK YOU MAGIC ERASER!) and moved on to remove the damage from Annie's bed. I worked on one section and then I noticed this little gem....
I pointed it out to her and she immediately shied away and got quite. (Sin is shameful people!) I asked her if she wrote that and for a while she stuck with her story of Abigail doing it. I pointed out that Abigail doesnt even know how to spell Annie's name... and that I've seen her write her name over and over and it sure looks the same. She finally admitted that she did it and it broke my heart. Not that she drew all over this amazing bed her daddy made her, but that she lied.... to ME. She's 4 and there is still so much for her to learn, but it was the first glimpse I've gotten of the sin that really does live inside of our children....and the importance of teaching and instructing them - and interceding for them. Life is hard....and sin is tempting - and our babies need us to fight for them both here on earth and in the spiritual realm!
I didnt scold her too badly, but we did have a heart to heart about the importance of telling the truth and the types of consequences lies can produce. I wanted her to really believe that she could tell me the truth without the hell, fire, and brimstone - although that will surely come if this continues ;)
We then proceeded to go to Target and buy new Magic Erasers... and I made her scrub a section all by herself (there was a lot, and she could barely do the tiny section she was in charge of....) - but maybe she learned her lesson.
Our pastor's wife told us last week during a mama meet up that this season of life ...feels like it will never end. I'm talking about the baby/toddler season. You're so tired, you're overwhelmed, and most days you're just fighting to survive. But this season only lasts a few years and then it's gone. And while you're physically exhausted now (because of sleep deprivation and literally meeting every single need of the tiny people God has put you in charge of) - as seasons change you will still be exhausted, it will just be a different type of exhaustion. You will no longer be physically exhausted, you will become mentally and emotionally exhausted. As they learn deception, and selfishness, and all the things - and then become teenagers.... your heart will be on the outside of your body and they will pull hard at it. I got a tiny dose of that today and realized more than ever not only how much she needs Jesus, but how much I need Him.
Tonight, I experienced my very first lie from my sweet precious first born daughter. I know that kid is a sinner and that she isnt perfect, but she comes close on most days. I've blogged about her a thousand times over, but she is a pleaser - she likes for us to be proud of her and happy with her. She likes doing a good job. She doesnt like getting in trouble and is incredibly easy to correct. Granted she is still a human and sometimes her will trumps all of these things. #shegetsitfromhermama
But ultimately: she's an amazing kid and we have been SO blessed by her. Her sister is the total opposite, but more on that later...
So: If you follow me on Facebook you saw that last week Emery took a dry erase marker to our 3rd bedroom. She drew on the entire perimeter of the air mattress that was set up for a potential overnight guest, down the chair, the wall, MY DYSON, the window, our dumbbells, the wall again, the outlet covers, the mirrors, the yoga mat.... pretty much covered each surface with some type of beautiful semi-permanent green art work. It took me a few hours to notice, but when I did she was reprimanded pretty seriously (a stern "talking to") - it was pretty cute because of the seriousness in my face and voice, she wasn't quite sure what to do. She kept kissing me and trying to comfort me because she couldnt quite process what to do with the emotion. It took all that I had not to burst out laughing at her cuteness!
Fast forward to a few days ago: Steven built an AMAZING bed for the girls, which i hope to share in a later post. When i was in the upper bunk where Annie sleeps, I noticed there were little pen scribbles all. over. the walls. of. this. bed. Down the side, down the steps... all over the place.
I asked Annie who did that and she said that Emery did. Considering what happened last week, it only made sense. But then yesterday I noticed something that I hadnt seen the day before....
Fast forward to today. I worked hard scrubbing the damage out of the 3rd bedroom (THANK YOU MAGIC ERASER!) and moved on to remove the damage from Annie's bed. I worked on one section and then I noticed this little gem....
I didnt scold her too badly, but we did have a heart to heart about the importance of telling the truth and the types of consequences lies can produce. I wanted her to really believe that she could tell me the truth without the hell, fire, and brimstone - although that will surely come if this continues ;)
We then proceeded to go to Target and buy new Magic Erasers... and I made her scrub a section all by herself (there was a lot, and she could barely do the tiny section she was in charge of....) - but maybe she learned her lesson.
Our pastor's wife told us last week during a mama meet up that this season of life ...feels like it will never end. I'm talking about the baby/toddler season. You're so tired, you're overwhelmed, and most days you're just fighting to survive. But this season only lasts a few years and then it's gone. And while you're physically exhausted now (because of sleep deprivation and literally meeting every single need of the tiny people God has put you in charge of) - as seasons change you will still be exhausted, it will just be a different type of exhaustion. You will no longer be physically exhausted, you will become mentally and emotionally exhausted. As they learn deception, and selfishness, and all the things - and then become teenagers.... your heart will be on the outside of your body and they will pull hard at it. I got a tiny dose of that today and realized more than ever not only how much she needs Jesus, but how much I need Him.
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