Obey immediately, completely, joyfully and from the heart!

It has been a while since I have posted, but man, have I been busy! I had a dear friend and her family come and stay with us for a week and a half. My house is small, but we managed 4 adults and 5 small kids, 6 and under for those 10 days. We managed by taking MANY trips to the park, a trip to Mill Mountain to see the Roanoke Star, and even a trip to my dear mother in law's house where there is a huge field in the backyard. We played and played and drained some of the kid's energy to a mere fraction of what it could have been inside!

Danny and I are trying really hard to be consistent in Josiah's training, and when needed, discipline. This takes real work and dedication on our part, but with the mercy and grace of God, we know we can attain our goal. Some funny moments along the way are bound to happen, right? Well, when it is cold outside, Danny and I take the kids to the mall and we walk. I was trying to give Danny some time alone in Barnes and Noble, so he took the baby, who did not require my immediate attention, and I took Josiah to play in a kid's play area. Why a door would not be put on a kid's play area, in a mall, is beyond me. But, there we are, all of these little attractions to play on, and what does Josiah choose to do? He chooses to run out the door beyond me and into the mall. I pulled him back in, told him not to go out and to go play. Well, he did this again! I got him, took him back in and sternly reprimanded him and told him he was not to go out the door. Well, do you think this worked? 1-2-3!!! He was off again! I told myself this had to stop. I had other parents looking at me and laughing. I then got down on Josiah's eye level, discreetly took the palm of his hand and pinched him very hard as I spoke to him: "Josiah, do not go out the door again. You must obey mommy or we will go to the bathroom for a spanking." Pinching the hand while we are in public when no one else can see has proven to work well with Josiah. I took him back into the play area and he went to play. A few minutes later, he slowly walked to the door. He looked at me, took another step, and got the the very edge of the carpet at the door. Very loudly, he said: "Obey mommy! No-no!" and then pinched his hand. At this point, he turned back around and didn't go by the door again the rest of the time we were there. All of the parents were laughing about his sudden attitude change and his obedience. This really tickled me too because it proved to me that a 2 yr old knows what you are saying to them. Some people out in the world today don't think you should discipline children for disobedience or disrespectfulness, and I firmly will tell you, if you don't get it early, when the first signs are exhibited, you will pay for it later in life!!! If they are old enough to exhibit the sinfulness of their hearts, they are old enough to be disciplined. We are also trying to diligently train Josiah to come to us the first time we call him. This one has been tough. I think we let him get away with not coming on the first command for too long and now we are having to pay for our procrastination. Danny and I both are practicing telling him to "Come here" once and if he does not obey, he is disciplined. Tonight when I told him it was time to go to bed and to come here and kiss mommy. He looked up at me, smiled and said: "Obey mommy now!", but he sat there another few seconds without moving, and then said: "Need a spankin' mommy!" Well, he got what he asked for, and still had to go to bed. When we got to bed and I was tucking him in and about to pray with him, he kept saying: "Sorry, mommy." I am not sure what he was saying sorry about because this is his new word and he has not been using it in the correct context, but it sure was cute!

I remember my Aunt Judy always teaching her kids to obey immediately, completely, joyfully and from the heart. Danny and I are trying very hard to instill this in Josiah as well. We also are practicing Ephesians 6:1 with him, which is: "Children, obey your parents in the Lord for this is right." Make no mistake, parents. Your children hear you, know what you are saying, and it is up to us to make sure they obey us and do what is right. This is a role given to us by our Heavenly Father, who we also hear and also know what He is saying to us. It is simple...we just have to obey!