And Jesus is in our hearts, so we don’t be so mad, we be happy.
Oh, sweet, sweet girl. Those were the words my 3 year old said as I was putting her shoes on so she could go outside and jump on the trampoline with her brother.
Those melodious words wafted from her precious mouth (I’m sorry if it’s getting a little sugary but she really is just so precious and I’m a doting mother) as she was repeating the rules of the trampoline.
I have four rules. She knows that the most important one is no one goes under the trampoline for fear of someone’s head getting jumped on and permanently injured. The rest are no shoes, no toys except balls (I know, I’m a monster), and no destroying the net that goes around it (hence the no toys rule as my son is currently a self-proclaimed ninja warrior and all toys become weapons of destruction in his hands).
My 3 year old loves repeating the rules. I think she is proud to show off to mommy how she is able to remember all of them. I must admit, I stand impressed. But this last time, she added one of her own.
And Jesus is in our hearts, so we don’t be mad, we be happy.
I stopped buckling her shoe and grabbed her up and kissed her belly and exclaimed that’s right baby.
She squealed, pleased with herself and headed out the door.
I sat on the floor and thought, wow, I’m doing something right.
And I don’t often feel that way. I mean, my house is a constant disaster area and I must admit I’ve lost my zest for cleaning up toys for the ten thousandth time.
Every morning, last night’s dishes are waiting for me because we eat a late dinner and I’m too tired after putting the kids to bed to care.
I lose my patience more than I’d like to.
I am well-intentioned and half the time I’m a poor executioner of my intentions.
I could go on and on but I think as mothers, most of you know what I’m talking about. There are many times I just feel like I’m not measuring up to my own standards. Nobody else set them. Just me. But still, I measure myself by them.
One of those standards is teaching my children about following Jesus. I take them to church, I pray with them, I try to model what a Christian who follows Jesus acts like (I’m especially good at modeling how a Christian who needs constant forgiveness and grace looks like), I speak His words to them when I’m trying to offer correction or teach what good character is, and yet, sometimes I wonder if I’m doing enough.
Why?
Because sometimes I skip prayer time at night. I hurry through the nightly bedtime routine so I can go watch television with my husband… in silence… with an intermittence of quiet laughs (it’s the little things).
Because she doesn’t sit quietly for stories like my son does. Remember when I said she’s precious? Well, she is. But she’s also hot-tempered. She’s a real pistol. I hear she gets that from me. And every night my husband puts my son to bed they read his kid’s Bible and I can hear them in there having a discussion. Meanwhile, I’m being made to perform tricks for my 3 year old which is all a part of an elaborate bedtime routine that I’ve allowed to get out of hand. I try to squeeze in Jesus Loves Me songs and Bible stories, but she’s restless and has her own agenda. I mean 3 year olds are adorable, but they are also exhausting!
But then…
And Jesus is in our hearts, so we don’t be so mad, we be happy.
And this mama’s heart exploded all over the place.
It looks like she’s getting it after all.
Getting that Jesus is the source of our happy.
He’s the light that comes and dwells within us.
He shines upon all the ugly stuff this life can bring. Like, fights with her brother. Ouchies and boo-boos. Unkind words and hurts that wound the heart. All the things that can really bring out the be so madin a 3 year old.
He reminds us to see everything through Him, his light. The reason we be happy.
This light empowers us to give the forgiveness needed when someone hurts us and it’s the joy that sustains us when dark times come. It’s the hope we feel rising in our spirit when troubles abound and it’s the reminder of the pure love that encircles us even when we are at our most unlovable.
In Jesus, we have a hope and a future. We have eternal life!
And in this life, we a have a very real help and hope that sustains us to walk this journey out with joy in our hearts because He is…
the good shepherd (John 10:11)
the light of the world (John 8:12)
the one who sets us free (John 8:36)
our hope (Timothy 1:1)
our rock (1 Corinthians 10:4)
the way (John 14:6)
the truth (John 8:32)
wonderful counselor,
mighty God,
everlasting father,
prince of peace (Isaiah 9:6)
In other words, a 3 year old’s to be exact, it’s the reason we don’t be so mad, we be happy.