All My Plans OUT the Window...

I saw it coming. 

The edginess, the intensity, the terse words told me we were headed for total crash. 

If we could have just made it to church we could have delayed the inevitable.

We tried.

We put her in the car screaming.

We sat in the car and prayed aloud

and when I turned and saw the tears streaming down her sensitive twin's face

I had him move up a row to the seat in front of her

instead of beside her.

We were moving down the gravel road...

and she went into a rage beating at the seat in front of her

so I had Steve stop 

and I got out

and hauled her out

and we walked home.

 - Or I walked home, anyway.

Missy raged and flapped her arms, 

hit me, spit on me and threw her one remaining shoe at me.

She's a terrible shot.

I warned her strongly that she should NOT touch me.

There was a quite a row of little girls ringing the crest of the hill watching 

our parade in silence.

And it makes me sick that they have to see this...

I feel responsible to protect their innocent little eyes.

I took off her nice dress and put her in bed.

and put her in bed

and put her in bed

and put her in bed.
Finally, I warned her that next time she got out of bed she would be getting a spanking.

Miracle, of miracles she stopped getting out of bed,

but not screaming.
Steve and I prayed over the phone together.
Praying for wisdom.

Eventually worn out she fell asleep and is still sleeping.

And here I sit wondering if I could have done something differently to cause a different outcome.

Should I have held her on my lap this morning when I noticed her edginess?

Should I have given her full attention when she was throwing those

little manipulative attention-getters my way?

Should I have put her in time-out to make her realize she needed to 

stop and think and be careful of the slippery slope ahead?

Though, I probably didn't do the right thing at the right moment

I do think the Lord was preparing me ahead of time.

He led me to study Ephesians chapter 4 this morning.

I beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,

with all lowliness and gentleness,

with longsuffering,

bearing with one another in love...

To each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift...

Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth,

but what is good for necessary edification,

that it might impart grace to the hearers...

Be ye kind one to another,

tenderhearted, forgiving one another,

even as God for Christ sake has forgiven you.