Life Lessons - on choices

Well, it's been over a year since I have wrote something, I am so good at this blogging stuff!  Anyhoo, I had one of those "hey, take note, I'm using your kids to teach you something" moments yesterday.  Not to say that my kids don't teach me daily, they do, but sometimes I hear God in the midst so clearly, I just have to share.

Just so you know, my main teaching point with my boys is that life is a series of personal choices.  How you choose determines much of how your life will go. Many times good choices bring good things and bad choices bring bad things.  Oh sure, life is not fair, bad things happen to good people who make good choices, they are learning that too.  However, I want them to know you still have a choice to make when those unfair times come. That is where this morning came into play.

I put the boys in the car to head to school, but since it was my work day too I had to load some of my stuff as well.  In the process of my loading, Eli (my calm, rational child most of the time) fell to pieces.  He is almost scream-crying like the world has ended. Knowing there was not much that could  happen to justify such an outcry (since he was strapped into his carseat) I finished loading what was in my hand and then went him.

"Eli, what is the problem?" I ask nonchalantly.
"Owen, tooOook my boOoOoOok!" He mutters through sobs.
Unbelievingly I respond, "Seriously? Son, that is not something to scream over."
Of course that fell on deaf ears, so without thinking I go into my usual "choices" spiel.  "Who is in charge?  Who is in charge and loves you?"
Eli, mumbles, "you are."
I continue, "Son, you have a choice to make. Owen took your book and you can choose to sit there and cry and make noises and get no where OR you can ask the one who is in control and who loves you to help you with your situation and move forward.  What is your choice going to be?"

Of course you can imagine how the rest of the story went.  Eli asked me for help, I spoke to Owen, blah blah blah, the book was returned and Eli was once again happy. But let me retell the story with how I was hearing God while speaking to Eli...

 ...Without thinking I go into my usual choices spiel.  "Who is in charge? [that would be Me.] Who is in charge and loves you?" [Yep, still Me.]
Eli, mumbles, "you are."
I continue, " Son, you have a choice to make. [so do you.] Owen took your book and you can choose to sit there and cry and make noises and get no where OR you can ask the one who is in control and who loves you to help you with your situation and move forward.  What is your choice going to be?" [Yes, what is YOUR choice going to be?]

Crazy, huh?  I don't know what is coming, but let's face it there is always going to be a time when someone just "takes your book out of your hand" so to speak.  I am so thankful for a heavenly Father that takes the time to remind me, He is in control and on top of that - He loves me too! He doesn't want me to sit and cry and be at a loss, He wants me to run to him.

Oh, and just in case I wasn't listening, first thing when I got into my meeting that morning (after dropping the kids off at school) my pastor shared Psalm 18:2

"The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
    my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
    my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."