crafting and conflicting ideas

i'm thankful that my girls enjoy a good crafternoon.. an afternoon, or even just twenty minutes, of creating something fun. they will often ask to do a craft with me, and since i had russ at home the other day, it was easier to let them each pick a paper craft to do out of a fun little book i just got.

emma put some starbursts on her wall, and abby and i made a flower garland wreath for the window in the girls room. 

"Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord."

Ephesians 6:4

i am wondering as i write this post why the Lord chose to have this verse say "fathers" and not "mothers" or "parents". i'd like to think that it's because He knows it's inevitable for me to exasperate my kids, so He is just giving me a bye on this one. i'm not convinced that is the case though. i very easily put myself in this verse and realize that i am exasperating my girls on a fairly regular basis. particularly my abby girl. i'm exasperated, and thus i am exasperating her.

i know there is a better way to go about this. the other day after a pointless back and forth we had in the car (about who knows what - that she refused to believe she was incorrect about), my voice got particularly loud. she immediately began to cry and said through her tears, "you didn't have to yell at me!" finally i got quiet, quickly realized i needed to ask forgiveness for it, and we kissed and made up quickly. why do i get in to an argument with a five year old? it's beyond me. i know i am right. there is no winning with a strong-willed five year old though.

and who cares?

in my normal brain i know this. reasoning will not make her stop coming back at me.

i've got to go silent. Lord help me train my brain to stop. to take my thoughts captive. to not react on emotion, but in obedience.

my actions and attitude i see are so clearly linked to how much i am in His Word, and how much i spend talking, praying, reading, learning Him. i have lacked it these past two weeks. and in turn my kids are suffering.

my kids and i sometimes have conflicting ideas on who is the parent around here. thankfully, the Lord is with me on this one. prayerfully, i need Him to show me how to parent them in a way that gains respect, yet is full of love and grace.