Teachable Moments

I know many of you already read this on my Facebook status, but as my mama always told me, "Write it down!" This is my way of journaling this moment and not forgetting, in a little more detail than what my status would allow.

So, Abigail has had a rough morning. Lots of getting frustrated with things not going her way, which usually results in some pretty ugly acting. She had asked if she could watch Blues Clues around noon. I told her that she could, but that Daddy would be home soon for lunch, and might want to watch something different while he ate. If so, we would have to shut it off when he came home. Well, talk about having your defenses ready. As soon as she heard the door to the garage open, she started throwing a fit that she WAS NOT DONE WATCHING BLUES CLUES!

Paul looked shocked to be greeted in such a manner. She continued to cry and carry on for a while. Then he sat down and had a Daddy/daughter talk about how she acted. He's very calm like that. She calmed down, they ate lunch, and he allowed her to watch more of her show.

Then, as he was ready to leave, well, I don't even know what happened as I was in the other room, but I know there was some major sassiness and back-talking directed toward Daddy. We told her that we were shutting off Blues Clues and she had to go sit on her bed in her room (her time-out place) for acting mean toward Daddy. She freaked out even more that we were shutting off Blues Clues. Wow, don't you love when you have to tell stories like this about your kids? I have to admit, we love Blues Clues in this house, but this is the first time it has gotten so ugly.

Paul went back to work, and I went in to talk with her in her room. She carried on for a little while over the injustices of the world (we had told her no more Blues Clues today). We talked about how it made Daddy feel when she acted so mean and sassy toward him, that it hurts his feelings. As she calmed down while we talked, she told me "I don't like it when I sin."

Poor kid. Me neither. She has learned about sin in Sunday School, and we've just explained to her that sin is when we make bad choices. Pretty simple explanation at this point. But at this early age, we had yet to explain what you do when you sin...how you respond to God after you do it.

The rest of the conversation went as follows:
Me: So, how do you feel for the way you acted toward Daddy?

Abigail: Sorry.

Me: Do you want to call him and tell him you're sorry?

Abigail: No, you can tell him.

Me: Nope, sorry. It isn't my job to tell Daddy sorry when it was something you did. It's your job. Maybe you can tell him when he comes home from work. So, Abigail. If it makes Daddy sad when you act mean toward him, how do you think it makes God feel when we sin and make bad choices?

Abigail: Sad.

Me: And if you are going to tell Daddy you are sorry and ask him to forgive you, then what do you think you should say to God when you sin?

Abigail: That I'm sorry and ask Him to forgive me.

Me: Yup. I usually do it like this, "Dear God, I'm sorry that I made a bad choice and hurt your feelings. Please forgive me." So, can you pray something like that?

Abigail (burying her head deep into her pillow): "Dear God, I'm sorry that I sinned and made a bad choice. Will you forgive me? I love you and want to follow your rules. I want to listen to you and your angels. I want to follow you all the time, day and night. Amen."

Yeah. I love when she just keeps on praying. It's so much better than what I could have prayed for her. I love when she shows her heart through her prayers. Even on the really ugly days, and trust me, today has been one. Her heart is a beautiful thing.