The honest truth is…I am a yeller. I am not proud of it but it is the truth. I easily raise my voice. I have a sharp tongue and I use it too often
on my loved ones. I am easily triggered.
I come unglued and I YELL. I know this about myself and I try to not be
this way and I fail daily.
I have been dealing with a cold for over a week. The morning of Christmas Eve I woke up with a
horrible sore throat. I was miserable!!!!
I could hardly speak at all. Within minutes of waking my youngest came up
to me with blue marker on her face. I
did not yet know if it was washable or permanent but I did know that we had to
go to church that evening and I would be scrubbing her face to get it off one
way or another. I QUIETLY whispered, “Don’t write on your face hun”. Then minutes later I walked by and say her coloring
on her stuffed puppies face with the same blue marker. I gently took the marker from her hand and
put it up out of her reach. That is when
it hit him…My point was made and no voice was raised. I did not have to belittle my children for
making a poor choice. I did not have to
yell and then feel like a failure for flipping out on my children that I love
so much. I simple asked them to stop. I
stopped in my tracks and prayed, “Thank you Lord, I hear you”. The Lord speaks to me but I don’t always
listen. To get his point across to me he
has to be LOUD, in my face, and sometimes even painful (as in my horrible sore
throat) for me to hear him. As the day
went on I had time and again where I would typically raise my voice. And I every time I resisted the urge and
every time I did this it was as if my throat got better and better. By the time we went to church {Christmas Eve
service} my pain was pretty much gone. We
got ready for church with no yelling or barking orders. It was amazing!!!!
My family and I received the best blessing ever today. My sore
throat!!!
As I sit here waiting for my family to wake up to see to
what gifts Santa has brought them as they slept I know the true Christmas gift
came yesterday. A great lesson was
taught to me, a lesson that will be carried on into the days to come. I will fail some days but I will rejoice in the
good days and learn for the bad ones.
Thank you Lord for my sore throat!
It was the best Christmas gift you could have given me!
Oh sweet friend; I hope you get better fast. Sorry you aren't feeling better but goodness your story is so true; I can be the same way.
ReplyDeleteI hate to hear about your sore throat but I likewise am a yeller with a sharp tongue and loose it easily when things don't right this has stopped me in my tracks and made me think. hope you get to feeling better
ReplyDeletehope you feel better!! I am a yeller too. :(
ReplyDeleteThat is such a neat story. I don't have kids, but I'm also a yeller--at my dogs, family, and anyone who bothers me. I can totally see what you mean about how it might actually be more effective to use a calm voice with a child to show your authority!
ReplyDeleteI got tired of yelling at our dogs for barking when their toys rolled under the furniture, so we started taking my husband's didgeridoo and blowing it at them when they barked. After about 5 times, they learned to sit quietly until we noticed them. But, then we realized that we could eliminate the problem by taking the tennis balls away, since they already have way too many toys haha.
What a great post! I needed to read this! I could have written the first paragraph myself, I'm the same way! Thanks for this reminder and thank you for your honesty and for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThis post makes my heart so happy! I'm not happy you had a sore throat of course, but what a blessing at a time you needed it :) My mom used to say she liked losing her voice when we were little because she would whisper and then we would all whisper too because she was. She would even keep it going days after she got her voice back because the whispering was so nice! Ha!
ReplyDeleteI loved reading this post. All things work for good to those who love Christ Jesus.
ReplyDeleteThis is my first visit to your blog. Your idea with the Christmas fresh eggs is wonderful and at Christmas everyone needs more eggs, what with all the baking :) I have so many things to say about your delightful and fresh blog, but I guess what I really love is your family photo. What a creative and unique way to pose.
My husband and I just bought a little bungalow on an acre of land. We call it our farm, LOL and to us it is the most land that we have ever owned and ever will. It's our retirement home. . . all of your friends are going smaller and we went bigger (at least in property, not house). We love it and last summer was my very first garden. This year I plan on doubling it. I think that having this larger property to care for is going to keep us young. I'm not into wrinkle creams and facelifts . . . but sunshine and exercise is the ticket for me. I am your newest follower and I would like to invite you over to visit my blog and help me celebrate my three year blogging birthday. I am having a Give-A-Way . . . it's not much but it is handmade .
Connie :)