Forgiveness

My heart has completely turned to mush. As me and a tired Ellison were pulling in from Target today, she started getting quite sassy and yelling at me, so she had to go into time out. Of course she was whimpering and crying. Her downstairs time out area is in the dining room. I happened to be in the kitchen while her 3 minutes ticked away, and I heard her in a tear-stricken voice mumbling something about "I hope you forgive me... (and something else I couldn't make out)." I assumed she was talking to Teddy, whom she almost got taken away because she had just thrown him. So when her 3 minutes were finished, I picked her up and hugged her, and went through our usual routine of telling her why she had to go into time out, asked her to apologize, and then began with my usual explanation of how God wants us to obey and honor our mommies & daddies, so let's pray and ask Him for forgiveness. She stopped me right there and explained, "But I already did ask Him to forgive me. I already prayed to Him." Then I thought of that pathetic little broken voice talking to God that I overheard, and I had to hold back my own tears! I was so joyous and so heartbroken at the same time!

I have to say, I am thanking God for really putting it on my heart to read, "Bringing Up Girls" by Dr. James Dobson. I have raved about the book to so many people, and that is where I was introduced to the concept of praying with your children for forgiveness after they have been disciplined. It just didn't occur to me before, but we've been doing it lately. After this incident, I have been thanking God using Dr. Dobson and for such a simple concept. Do you know how many times I pray, "I don't know what to do here, God! I don't have the answers. Please guide me and help me!". My heart is swelling at the thought that God gives us even SIMPLE things we can do that help foster our children's relationship with Him! One simple thing has been another means of Ellison opening up a dialogue with Him. And then it opened up yet another dialogue between me and Ellison where I got to talk to her about God's forgiveness and His character. I just find it so precious...