I Will Save Thy Children

I'm sensing a change. It's minute to be sure, but it's real.


I see a slight development in Missy's attachment to me. Have you ever tried growing cactus plants? It seems like nothing is happening f.o.r.e.v.e.r and suddenly there's this new little protuberance. I see it. Something is different. We could probably go on all night with interesting analogies between the cactus and Missy....   I could easily come up with a parallel to the cacti's lovely spines and bristles.... but, we'll not go there. :-)

Missy is no longer trying to completely sabotage the relationship between us. She's ever so slightly becoming more comfortable with me being her mommy. She's still bossy, she still is controlling, she still lies in an attempt to manipulate her way through life, but she is only going so far...

She enjoyed her day today. I told her that if she could stay cheerful  into the evening Daddy would probably invite her to go with him and the girls to prayer meeting. Prayer meeting was to be at Ken and Sandy's house and Sandy was anxious to have the children meet her parrots. I knew Buster Brown hadn't a chance in the world of getting there. He's WAY over tired and cranky (but won't sleep). Anyway, I told Missy if you do not dissolve into screaming for some unknown reason, I'll let you go.

There was a cup with laundry soap in the bathroom just sitting on the counter. Unusual, but whatever. Missy asked what it was. I said, "It is special soap, BUT DO NOT TOUCH IT."  I moved it to the back of the counter to eliminate temptation. I could just feel my hands burn at the thought of using the powder for washing and I didn't want her trying it.  I repeated, "DO NOT TOUCH IT!" And then I asked her to reiterate what I had asked to be sure she understood. She did. There was plenty of other soap available.


Not ten minutes later I caught her with the cup in her hand and soap all over the sink. I asked what she was doing.  Even as she tried to explain why she NEEDED to use that soap she knew her goose was cooked. She had disobeyed explicit instruction and her first thought was "OH NO! Now she's not going to let me go", and she started crying loudly. I told her I was sad she had disobeyed, but I didn't know if that should keep her from going, I hadn't really thought about what a consequence should be...  She was mad she was caught and convinced herself that I wouldn't let her go and the crying escalated to screaming and yelling some command to me asking dad if she could go. She's hard to understand and I asked her to repeat herself probably 10 times and I'm still not sure what she said, but it served to bring the decibels down.

She threw herself on my shoulder and wailed her heart out. It felt different. She wasn't trying to hurt me, she didn't despise me, I didn't sense hate in her. I have noticed that more and more. What I felt was her keen disappointment and great sorrow at having blown it. I told her that I was sticking to my word. Screaming is what sealed her doom.  She had been forewarned.

She put her pajamas on and cuddled in my lap in the lazy boy in my room. I opened my Bible looking for a token of God's encouragement that we will see the other side of these tempestuous storms some day... and I found myself in Isaiah 49: 16, 24, 25

Behold, 

I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands;

thy walls are continually before me.

Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?

But thus saith the Lord, 

Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, 

and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered; 

for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, 

and I will save thy children.

There is a contender out there that holds captive the thoughts and motives of these children...

God promises he will fight and save them from utter ruin and destruction.


Wherever I look in scripture I see a reoccurring theme;

The wages of sin is death,

but the GIFT of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Romans 6:23 

Even the kids' current memory verse expresses the same thought, but in a different way.

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: 

for whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap. 

Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; 

whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

Galatians 6:7,8

The distorted thoughts,
the lies they tell themselves
about themselves,
the insanity of their reactions,
their struggle for control,
the selfishness

it all holds them captive.

BUT GOD
has promised to save our children.
May He give me strength to do my part to bring about the change and healing so necessary.