Touche`

Hailey was working on a campaigne for crime prevention awareness down the street at a neighbor's house today and when she walked in the house she had a sheepish smile on her face while holding a glass container with a mess of cupcakes in it. You see, tomorrow, a few of us are celebrating a friend's birthday and the cupcakes were for that particular celebration. I am sure I had a look of horror on my face when I saw the cupcakes all over the place with the icing everywhere but on the cupcakes. The explaination was that she had them on the floor of her car and when she turned the corner, they went everywhere! Being extremely sleep deprived (Nora was up 5 times the night before) there was very little grace given to her in my response. I told her that she needed to be more conscientious and less careless and suggested that she should probably get herself to the grocery store because we needed birthday cupcakes or a cake. I felt pretty good about the lesson I was teaching Hailey...that is, until I called my mom to brag about my fabulous parenting skills!  My mom reminded me of a time when I was 16 years old. This was in the days when the cell phones had just come out and cost about $1500. You know, like the ones you see on "Saved By The Bell." I was pulling out of our driveway and forgot that I had left the cell phone on top of the vehicle. The result was that I ran over the phone and completely destroyed it. She also reminded me that I didn't get grounded or forced to pay for the phone and then she asked me how I turned out...touche`!  I felt so bad for how I treated Hailey. I had to repent to her and tell her I was sorry for being mean. I still feel the consequences should have been the same, but my tone toward her could have been more full of grace. She made a $5.00 mistake and I acted like she had made a $1500 mistake. The truth is that if I had not been so quick to jump down Hailey's throat, she probably would have made the suggestion to bake new cupcakes herself. That is just the way she is, responsible and as thoughtful as any other teenager I know. The lesson for Hailey: be more careful (although she jokes around and says that she learned not to drive with cupcakes in her car). The lesson for me: think before I speak especially when I am deprived of sleep (which has been happening frequently) and speak to all of my children with kindness even when mistakes are made. "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up" 1 Corinthians 13:4.  Patience and kindness are so important when dealing with our children, although we are tested!